Saddleworth Moor is a moorland in North West England. Reaching more than 1,312 feet (400 m) above sea level, it is in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park. It is crossed by the A635 road and the Pennine Way passes to its eastern side.
Saddleworth Moor towards Dovestone Reservoir
Wreckage of the BEA Douglas DC3 undercarriage, 2003 (Dovestone Reservoir in the background)
NASA satellite image of smoke rising from fires on Saddleworth Moor on 27 June 2018
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat found in upland areas in temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands and montane grasslands and shrublands biomes, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils. Moorland, nowadays, generally means uncultivated hill land, but also includes low-lying wetlands. It is closely related to heath, although experts disagree on what precisely distinguishes these types of vegetation. Generally, moor refers to highland and high rainfall zones, whereas heath refers to lowland zones which are more likely to be the result of human activity.
Moorland habitats mostly occur in tropical Africa, northern and western Europe, and neotropical South America. Most of the world's moorlands are diverse ecosystems. In the extensive moorlands of the tropics, biodiversity can be extremely high. Moorland also bears a relationship to tundra, appearing as the tundra and the natural tree zone. The boundary between tundra and moorland constantly shifts with climatic change.
Extensive moorland in the Desert of Wales
Heather moorland on the North York Moors mainly consisting of Calluna vulgaris
Moorland of Kilimanjaro
Dartmoor in winter covered in snow. Several tors top the sparsely vegetated hills.