Mountains & Moorland

It’s hard to imagine a more hostile environment for wildlife than our often cold, wet and windy mountains and moorland. Yet there are species living here that are found nowhere else in the UK. Plants like purple saxifrage hunker down in rocky pockets of soil out of the drying winds. Shy mountain hares and cocky ptarmigan put on ghostly white disguises to hide from predators in the winter snow fields. Delicate mountain ringlet butterflies hide in the matgrass, waiting for brief bursts of sun, when they come out to feed.

The list below will introduce you to some of the wildlife to be found in the Park’s mountains and moorland. There are also links to other websites where you can find out more. Knowing a little more about the lives of some of these amazing species adds an extra thrill to a moorland walk or mountain climb - whatever the weather.