This dramatic cliff and industrial landscape comprising an extensive stretch of coast, with sheer sandstone cliffs, slumped undercliff, and cliff-edge areas of old mining spoil provides a varied set of habitats; an extensive area of coastal heath, grassland, crevice and ledge communities, and bracken and scrub in a natural state. Also present are grasslands developed on spoil, and arable land with good potential for creation of additional areas of grassland and heath.
A combination of the area's mining history and the influence of the sea have combined to create some very interesting, rare and important plant communities.
The cliffs, cliff heathland and grasslands have a very rich flora. Heather is the dominant shrub, with some bell heather and also bilberry, unusual in maritime heaths in England, as is an abundance of great woodrush and damp-loving tall herbs such as angelica and valerian in heathland.
The coastal grasslands have an excellent structure with a profusion of flowers, short open areas, tussocky areas, etc. mainly dominated by grasses but containing amongst other species northern marsh orchid, common spotted orchid, birds-foot trefoil and dramatic expanses of kidney vetch.
The steep cliff faces towards the southern end of the site support a diverse range of plants tucked into the ledges and crevices of the sandstone. On the lower cliff faces sea pink, sea campion, sea spleenwort, rock samphire and sea lavender have all been found. Higher up the cliffs bloody cranesbill, wood vetch and the soft shield fern are present.
It is hoped that changes to the way the land is managed in years to come, possibly with the introduction of grazing animals will encourage the spread of more natural vegetation to all areas of the site.
Click here to read the full Nature Conservation Report commissioned by The National Trust in 2006
