About the reserve

Deep Dale is a superb example of a typical Peak District dry limestone dale.

From the depths of the valley bottom to the heights of the plateau, through deep and shaded sections to areas exposed to the full mid-day sun, the range of conditions here is reflected in the diversity of species you can expect to see.

Rock exposures and screes support yet more vegetation, while small areas of woodland cling on to the cliff edges and hazel is found on some of the slopes and scree edges. Among the many plants to look for are the deep pink blooms of bloody crane's bill and the violet-blue of clustered bellflower on the steep upper slopes.

The screes are a good place to look for the delicate limestone fern, while Nottingham catchfly grows on the shallow soils above the rocky outcrops. Among the many invertebrates found here is the cistus forester moth; the larvae of this nationally scarce species feed on rock rose, which grows on the thin soils of the daleside.