Cotton Grass on Winter Hill

[Mervyn Thornhill]

I haven't noticed any comments about the fantastic display of cotton grass on Winter Hill. The whole of the top is white and, in sunshine from the M6, it looks as though the hill is covered in snow. I have never seen it look like this before.

Interestingly, the huge area it occupies is that badly damaged by the fire last year and there is no similar explosion on nearby hills. I have just traced a cutting from the Evening Post about the fire and part of a statement from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust included the following “A lot of the animals’ food sources such as Cotton Grass …………have also been destroyed.". Whilst I am sure that many LWT and other concerns about the fire were fully justified this particular one doesn't seem to be.

Incidentally the rhododendron growth on the east side of the hill (outside our area) looks splendid at present but is getting rather out of control.