The Pennine WayNational Trail passes through the area, as does the A66 road, which crosses Bowes Moor using the Stainmore Gap between Bowes and Stainmore.[3] Bowes Moor sits on the River Greta and has changed very little since Roman times. Many Roman artifacts have been found here over the years, including a Roman aqueduct.[4]
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Mirk Fell Gill, in unit 7
The Bowes Moor Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is designated for its "numerous and diverse moorland bird communities."[1] The main habitat is blanket bog, and the SSSI designation draws attention to the range of vegetation and breeding birds to be found there. It is divided into north and south moors by the A66 running horizontally across it. The strip of land immediately south of the A66 is enclosed agricultural land excluded from the SSSI.[3] The land within the SSSI is stinted common.[5] The SSSI is the subect of the Bowes Moor SSSI Site Restoration Plan, 1st January 2018 – 31st December 2028.[5]
For monitoring purposes, the SSSI is divided into seven "units" corresponding with the stints.[6] Units 1, 2 and 3 are north of the corridor formed by the A66 road and the enclosed agricultural land, including the former Stainmore Railway and the River Greta. Unit 1 includes Rey Cross ancient monument and Roman camp.[7][8] Units 4, 5 and 6 are south of that corridor. They run west to east, sandwiched between the Greta to their north and the Sleightholme Beck to their south. Unit 7 is south of Sleightholme Beck and runs the entire width of units 4, 5 and 6. It extends south into the former mining area near the Tan Hill Inn,[9] on the border with the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It contains the highest ground in the SSSI, at Mirk Fell (NY914066, 571 metres (1,873ft)).
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