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PEAK DISTRICT HILL FORTS - DERBYSHIRE
Millions of people visit the Peak District National Park every year, but few ever realise the rich history buried right beneath their feet. That’s because these peaceful peaks hold a hidden history. They were once filled with people.
Scattered all across these hills are remnants of iron and bronze age structures. At places like Mam Tor and Monsal Head, these hill forts once dominated the landscape - a chain of ancient settlements in the sky. Now, if you look carefully, you can still see the outlines of the forts carved into the curves of these brooding peaks. -
CHESHIRE SALT AND LANDSCAPE – near Northwich
Nature leaves her mark on the landscape in different ways. Millions of years ago the rolling Cheshire plain was a vast shallow sea. That sea left something behind – deep deposits of salt, underground riches for generations to harvest. But, as salt and brine were extracted the land started to shift and many mines eventually collapsed. Water flooded in and new lakes known as ‘flashes’ were born. It’s a remarkable story of a constantly changing landscape - a world of industry suddenly returned to nature overnight.
Just outside Northwich, Ashton and Neumann’s flashes are just two examples of this kind of amazing transformation. The mine collapse here swallowed an entire street and thousands of gallons of water flooded in to form the flashes which were then used as a dumping ground for lime waste. In 2001 the area was fenced off and allowed to regenerate. The flashes are now a wildlife haven, thriving on a legacy of salt and lime. -
SUNDERLAND POINT – near Lancaster, LANCASHIRE
Morecambe Bay is one of Britain’s greatest natural wonders. The tide rolls back daily to reveal a treacherous and beautiful “no man’s land”. To the South of the Bay is a forgotten corner, a place stranded by tide and time at the mouth of the River Lune. This is Sunderland Point. Not quite an island. Not quite the mainland. At high tide the sea sweeps in to set it apart or ‘asunder’ from the mainland. Hidden in the far corner of the island is a reminder of one of the darkest chapters of Britain’s history, the grave of a young slave boy. Lancaster was once a major hub of the slave trade and, though most of the slaves were sold in the Americas, one young man ended up here in 1736. He died within just a few days of landing. The site has been marked by local people ever since. A fragment of a forgotten past.
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YORKSHIRE THREE PEAKS AND ALUM POT
Yorkshire's Three Peaks are well known to walkers, but beneath these famous limestone peaks lies a hidden world, one forged by a unique combination of rock and rain. On the surface the cracked glory of this area’s limestone pavements gives just a hint of what lies below. Water has worked its way into the rock, dissolving it to form large gaps known as ‘grikes’. Head under the peaks and this world opens out into an incredible caving system. With the right skills and equipment you can explore this underground world to discover hidden beauty spots like Alum Pot. Narrow passageways lead to an amazing cavern open to the sky. A waterfall pours in through the sunlight. It’s an incredible example of Mother Nature’s flair for architecture.
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HOWGILL FELLS AND WATERFALLS - CUMBRIA
Right on the very Eastern edge of Cumbria, the Howgill Fells are perhaps the most secret part of this famous county. Celebrated fell walker, Alfred Wainwright, likened the curves of these rolling hills to a huddled herd of elephants. These grassy domes cover 40 square miles between the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District. They feel like a remote, lost world and are a well kept secret amongst walkers. One of the highest waterfalls in England, Cautley Spout, is to be found in the Howgills, but venture down any deserted valley and you might find a hidden waterfall that you can keep all to yourself.
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DERWENTWATER’S SECRET ISLAND
Keswick, on the edge of Derwentwater is one of the busiest places in the Lakes and hundreds of thousands of visitors flock here each year. But, with a little effort, you can still find the hidden corners of this celebrated landscape. Derwent Isle is just a stone’s throw from the shore and this tiny island holds a secret that’s only open to the public a few days a year. Tucked behind the trees is a grand house built in 1781 by Joseph Pocklington. A banker’s son from Nottinghamshire, Pocklington was one of the first wealthy men to settle in the Lake District just to enjoy its beauty. He designed this house to impress, but now it’s almost completely concealed by trees. If you make the climb up to Surprise View above the Borrowdale valley then you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of it.
It’s important to plan a visit to Derwent Isle carefully. The House is a private residence with limited public access and the island isn’t open to the general public except for a few set days each year. Bookings are not taken until three days in advance because of access issues. For more information please contact the National Trust. -
NINE STANDARDS RIGG – KIRKBY STEPHEN, CUMBRIA
Above the market town of Kirkby Stephen stands a secret hidden in plain sight. On the skyline a row of mysterious rocky cairns dominate the landscape. These nine stone soldiers are known as Nine Standards Rigg. For a long time people believed that this was some kind of Victorian folly but the evidence suggests that their origin is more of a prehistoric puzzle. They’re marked on maps as far back as 1748 and their appearance in Norman charters makes them at least 800 years old. Stephen Walker, a local historian, believes that they date back ever further, maybe thousands of years. Stone cairns built and re-built on the site of an ancient burial mound. A landmark and a monument to those who lived here before.
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CASTLE EDEN DENE – PETERLEE, COUNTY DURHAM
On the very edge of the urban sprawl of busy Peterlee is the incredible green world of Castle Eden Dene. This deep ravine shelters a spectacular ancient woodland running down towards the sea. This rather unexpected wilderness was once owned by the Burden family who opened up a series of trails through the tangled yews for intrepid Victorians to enjoy. But the Dene’s greatest secret lies further down this gorge, where the woodland opens out into wildflower meadows leading towards the shore. This is where two tiny colonies of the extremely rare Northern Brown Argus butterfly are clinging on to survival. They rely on the combination of rock rose and bird’s foot trefoil growing on these hillsides, flowers which provide food for both the caterpillar and the butterfly. The butterflies live for just two weeks after emerging from the chrysalis. It’s a brief but beautiful life.
Credits
- Presenter
- Matt Baker
- Presenter
- Julia Bradbury
- Producer
- Sarah Gibbs
- Executive Producer
- Bill Lyons
