River Lyd, Devon
The Lyd is a river rising at Lyd Head in the Dartmoor national park in Devon in South West England and flowing into the River Tamar beyond Lifton. It runs through Lydford Gorge, the deepest gorge in South West England.
Lydford Gorge
Lydford Gorge is a dramatic feature of the river at Lydford on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park; it is a gorge near Lydford on the River Lyd, which is the deepest in South West England. It was formed by the process of river capture, where the start of a nearby river eroded backwards until its origin met the Lyd, diverting its course into the second channel.Owned and maintained by the National Trust since 1947, the gorge features the tall White Lady Waterfall and a series of whirlpools known as the Devil's Cauldron.
Protected area
Lydford Gorge is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its complex geology and also because of the moss and liverwort species recorded here.Biology
Ancient woodland is found on the valley sides of the gorge where tree species include pedunculate oak, ash, hazel and holly. Herbaceous woodland species include wood anemone, woodruff, bluebell and bilberry. In wet areas, opposite-leaved golden saxifrage has been recorded.Moss species include Mnium stellare and Isothecium holtii ''. Liverwort species include Trichocolea tomentella. Lichen species include Sticta dufourii'' that occurs on damp rocks.
Bird species in this protected area include raven, buzzard, wood warbler, grey wagtail and dipper. Otters have been recorded in the river Lyd.