Rare plants

The Peak District National Park Authority has announced the completion of the first detailed surveys of one of the rarest plant habitats in Europe - around old lead mines.

With only 100 hectares of these old lead-mine habitats in the UK and fewer than 20 hectares in Derbyshire they are of international conservation importance.

Their metallic soils which are toxic to most plants support rare metallophyte species such as alpine penny-cress and spring sandwort both known locally as leadwort.

This habitat is present around the old Low Close Mine at Clough Wood where both species can be readily seen in flower now.

Spring Sandwort and Alpine Penny-cress