Purple Moor

 I thought the heather was looking pretty good a week ago but a short walk up to Ravock shows just how good the scene is now.

Heather on Ravock.

Its the shorter heather which seems to bloom best. This is partially due to the management of the moor where the older "tired" heather is burnt off at the back end of the year allowing the fresh young shoots to re-generate. Below are a couple of photographs from a days heather burning. Its a controlled method but non the less a dramatic scene.

The moor alight.

Feel the heat.

(Its the foreshortening of the scene by the camera which gives this shot such drama, the flames are quite a distance behind the Keeper)

Moor management not only benefits the game population but also the numbers of breeding wading birds are increased as a side effect.