Blacka Moor
Totley
Sheffield-NE Derbys
 

Totley used to be a small village on the north-east Derbyshire border but is now the southernmost suburb of Sheffield and contributes many of the cars which commute daily to the city centre despite the excellent 'bus service.  To the east is arable farmland but south and west is some very good countryside.  Around here is the ancient border between Saxon Mercia (now Derbyshire) and Northumbria (now Yorkshire) - this division is perpetuated by the Watsonian vice-county borders:  a finger of land between the River Sheaf and the Meers Brook is still Derbyshire for biological recording purposes!
 

From Totley, take Hillfoot road to the bottom of the valley and just past The Crown turn left along Penny Lane (following the Blacka Dyke), well past the Cricket Inn to the small car park at the foot of Blacka Moor. To the west are the Blacka Woods.		The woods are good for ground & leaf beetles. Over the hill one can walk across the moors to Manchester, if so inclined. Since we have been walking here the amount of bracken and birch succession has been massive - the same to the east (right) although heath still survives atop Totley Moss.
In clear areas, typical upland heath plants (Erica heather and one of the ericaceous berries - identifying later! Click to enlarge). Also, in places up to Totley Moss (far right), is the more fastidious Calluna heather (middle).
This is a route veering south half way up the western climb from the car park: allowing a simple circular walk.  The rock here tends to shale or stratified sandstones quite different from most of the upland areas locally. Very few trees up here but those are lichen-covered.		Amongst the heathland, there are springs forming permanently wet areas excellent for carabid species such as Elaphrus and Bembidion.
There are obvious human manifestations - the erosion of this path (left) has much to do with drainage ditches and motorbikes.  the top of Totley Moss, there are good views of southern Sheffield (see below) which are marvellous for orienting ones self.  More		Dry stone walls fit in with the geology of an area but also provide homes and wintering sites for many animals. There has been a lot of work restoring many of the walls around here (right). Older walls show the neater fission of local stone.
Very little mention yet of insects - because very few were seen until the homeward descent. On the path was a bug devouring the innards of a dead caterpillar.  Nothing is wasted.		The lane back to the car park is lined with gorse (right) and other herbs with the occasional struggling sapling including rowan, fruiting very well this year. Unfortunately few insects on these.
By the car park are some sycamores ... with the wealth of wildlife that we expect despite the disdain with which sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus is regarded by many botanists.  Most interesting was an orange ladybird, formerly a rare beast in this part of the world but now seen regularly.		Also a syrphid (hoverfly) larva (left). This ladybirds eats mildew but other ladybirds along with hoverflies and lacewings depend on aphids which sycamore provide in abundance.  Even after a frosty night aphids still survive on this tree (right; click to see colour morphs and former generation).

	Looking north one can clearly make out the green and pleasant spaces of Sheffield and their extensions into the country westward (left) and eastward (right) - click to enlarge.
Directly overlooking Dore and Abbeydale. On the left horizon is the Limb Valley leading through Whirlow to Ringinglow (another walk). In the centre, the Sheaf Valley leads in to Sheffield centre with the Ecclesall woods to the west and the Beauchief woods to the east.		Looking east over Totley to Bradway and SE Sheffield. In the foreground is the shooting range (no place to take a short-cut) and, with fore-knowledge, it is possible to make out one of the vents to the Totley tunnel.

LINKS
Walks around Sheffield
Sheffield Ramblers
The Sheffield Round Walk
(may be taken in small doses)
 

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CREATED 24/9/05