Go Wild on Wight

IWBOA: Eastern Central Ridge (2 subsites)

Eastern Central Ridge
This map is based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. 100019229 2008.

LegendClick here for pdf map

Opportunity area description

A ridge running between Newport in the west and Culver Cliffs in the east, breached by the Eastern Yar valley at Brading.

Joint Character Area/Landscape descriptive unit

IW Joint Character Area: principally Chalk downs but some elements of Sandstone Hill Gravel ridges, and intensive agriculture.

Landscape types

Rolling chalk downland with northern slopes well-wooded, giving way to pasture land.  Lower sandstone hills giving way to arable fields to the south. Quarrying at the western end, and in the vicinity of Knighton.

Geology (bedrock)

Chalk with areas of ferruginous sands to the south, and clay silt and sand to the north at the base of the slopes. At the western end it includes a sandstone outcrop.

Geology (superficial)

Some small areas of Clay with flints on the chalk. Extensive areas of River terrace deposits on both chalk and ferruginous sand at the western end.

Topography (landform)

Sheer chalk cliffs at Culver Down. The ridge runs west – east across the Island breached by the Eastern Yar running north-east /south-west

Biodiversity ( BAP habitat, Designated sites UK BAP Species)

SSSIs : Eaglehead & Bloodstone Copses, Arreton Down, Shide Quarry, Bembridge Down

SINCs: Wroxall Bottom Copse, St George’s Down, St George’s Scarp, Standen Copse, Arreton Down North, Mersley Down North, Mersley Chalk Pit, Knighton West Wood, Knighton Down, Knighton East Wood, Kern Down Chalkpit, Ashey Down, Brading Down West, Rowdown Copse, Nunwell Park, Brading Down, Bembridge Down

BAP habitat

UK BAP Species

Early gentian, Chalk eyebright, Red squirrel, Grizzled skipper; Dingy Skipper; Adder; Osmia xanthomelana; Glanville Fritillary

Access

Bembridge Trail runs along the Downs between Bembridge and Newport

Targets – main opportunities


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