19th February:
From the summit of Shute Shelve Hill there are extensive views of the surrounding countryside, to the west over the ridge to Wavering Down and Crook Peak, and over the moors to the south.
Getting to the top is another thing.
While the bright yellow blooms of gorse bring some colour to a grey day, negotiating the overgrown thickets is not a pleasurable experience.
Like bracken, the dominance of gorse in the landscape is detrimental to the growth of other, less aggressive plant species that would normally be found on upland limestone grassland. With the loss of these plants and associated fauna there is a decrease in natural diversity.
