Hatfield Moors

Click book to see Bird Report

Hatfield and Thorne Moors make up one of the largest low lying peat bogs in England, such raised bogs are formed by the slow decay of sphagnum mosses over thousands of years. Peat began to develop on Thorne and Hatfield around 4500 years ago. Five Bog bodies have been found on Hatfield and Thorne excellently preserved, also a trackway going across Hatfield Moors linking Lindholme island on drier ground. In the 1970's a Bronze Age wooden trackway was found on Thorne Moors, the Hatfield trackway is even older it is one of the earliest wooden trackways of it's kind in Europe, it is called a "Corduroy track".

Over 3,000 species of invertebrates as well as plants such as the round-leaved sundew have been recorded at Thorne alone. The Mire Pill Beetle or also know as 'bog hog' has been recorded on Hatfield and Thorne but is very rare. The two moors now make up part of the Humberhead Levels. The Scott Company has just handed over Hatfield and Thorne Moors to English Nature, Scotts were given £17 million pounds to hand it back. Recently opened, The Peatlands Way, is a 45 mile circular footpath route in North Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire linking the historic towns and villages of Thorne, Crowle, Belton, Epworth, Haxey, Wroot, Kirk Bramwith and Sykehouse. Thorne moors is one of the most Northerly breeding grounds in Britain for the Nightingale , and also the elusive Nightjar breeds on Hatfield and Thorne. In spring and summer Marsh harriers can be seen circling above you, feeding on the moor, then returning to Blacktoft Sands. Also occasionally Hen Harriers winter on the moors, you also see Hobby in summer. Each time you go onto Hatfield Moor you can guarantee hearing and seeing a Green Woodpecker . You can also see Long-tailed tit, Great crested grebe, Grey herons the list is endless.

If you have your speakers switched, on you will hear the sound of a Willow Warbler, just like in Will Pit Woods on Thorne Moors.

We are compiling a bird report for Hatfield and Thorne Moors, if you see any interesting sightings please let us know, and we will add them to the list, click on the book above to see the report.

Ten acre Lake Hatfield Moor	This new path around ten acre lake was created by English Nature staff and volunteers, the route covers a range of habitats from flooded peat workings to woodland. It usually takes us about an hour to walk around the lake, with a few stops for birdwatching. If you would like more info on becoming a volunteer please call 01924 334500
February Sunset at 10 Acre Lake	Sunset over Thorne Moors	Reclaimed Sand Quarry Hatfield Moors
This is one of many locomotive tracks around Thorne Moors now thankfully disused. The old railway sleepers are been removed as part of the reclamation of the moors	Flooded peat workings at Will Pits on Thorne Moors	Above one of the locos which removed the peat from the moors. It's number was H110223 and was based at Bank Top on Thorne Moors. In a book called 'Peat Railways of Thorne And Hatfield Moors' by A.J.Booth H110223 is shown at work in a few of his photo's. It was first built in 1967 and disused in 1996.
Three stages of the Flyagaric toadstool. Hatfield has a good habitat for the Flyagaric
Shaggy Ink Cap at it's first stage of growth on Hatfield	Shaggy Ink Cap at it's final stage	Sphagnum moss is what the moors are made up of , it is growing back very well on Thorne
Southern Marsh Orchid Hatfield Moors	A piece of bog oak. This peice of Bog Oak is probably a few thousand years old from Thorne	More Sphagnum
Workings on Crowle Moors	Side view of cottage	Derelict Peat workers cottage Crowle Moors
Viewing platform on Thorne Moors	View from platform	This photo of Hatfield Moors was taken on an evening stroll in January
View from sand hill viewing mound on Hatfield Moors	Red Damselfly on Hatfield Moors	Beautiful autumn colours on Thorne Moors
Fungi on Thorne Moors	One of the many rides on Hatfield Moors	More fungi on Hatfield Moors. Autumn is the best time to see a huge range of fungi
Thorne Moors. Cutting peat on this part of the moors finished a few years ago and already it has flooded, and is an excellent feeding area for waders and wildfowl and the odd Marsh Harrier	Many zoned Polypore (Coriolus Versicolor) found on rotten birch stumps	Four Spotted Chaser Dragonfly on Thorne Moors
One of many paths called rides on Hatfield Moors. You can, if you are lucky, see Roe Deer on the path in front of you. North end of 10 Acre lake	Hatfield Moors Birch Polypore Lichen growing on trees on the moor	More Autumn colours Thorne Moody September skies over Hatfield Moor
One of the many Scots Pines growing on Hatfield Moors.	Birch Polypore grows on Birch trees as the name implies	View from the north end of 10 acre lake
This Fungus found on Birch Trees is a Horse Hoof fungus (Fomes fomentarius)	One of the many Orchids on Thorne and Hatfield. In late spring, you can see carpets of Orchids on Hatfield Moors around the sand and gravel pit's	On the right of this ditch you can just see a white limestone road which was built for access to the peat works. It is the only road on Thorne Moors
Sunset over Hatfield Moor on Midsummers night 21st June	Climbing Corydalis on Hatfield Moor	Phellinus igniarus, a fungi that grows on Willow trees
Common Blue Butterfly found on Heathland. Adults drink nectar from flat headed plants and the catterpillars live off plants like bird's foot trefoil, rest harrow and white clover	Common Blue Butterfly, latin name Polyomtus icarus	The photo above is one of the many Adders found on Thorne Moors. The Adder is Britains only venomous snake. In the warmth of the sun they can be seen basking on the paths. They can usually be seen from early February to October
A dam in the ditches on Thorne Moors	This is a photo of one of the old peat stacks, it looks like a stone wall covered in lichen	Sunset over ditch at Hatfield Moor
Compartment seven on Thorne Moors	This photo is a trunk of a willow tree with red deer teeth marks	Creykes sidings on Thorne Moors
Aerial view of lake on Hatfield Moor taken from scissor lift on an open day that English Nature organised	Scissor lift on open day	Fungi growing on a willow tree
Thorne Moors flooded peat workings	Female Adder on Hatfield Moors	Fungi on Hatfield Moors
Photo of Thorne Pit before demoliton	Bee Orchid
Red Necked Grebe on 10 acre lake Hatfield, a rare site in the uk	Agrimony growing on Hatfield Moor. This plant is found abundantly throughout England, on hedge banks and the sides of fields, in dry thickets and on waste ground	*Small Copper Butterfly on Thorne Moors. Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and Sheep's Sorrel (R. acetosella) are there main foodplants.*
Working the peat moors on Thorne in the 70's and 80's, click the photo to see more