Hatfield Moor
Hatfield Moor is over 1400 hectares of special scientific interest located in the Hatfield Chase. It is managed by Natural England. It is the second largest lowland raised peat bog in England. Previously vast amounts of peat had been extracted from this area. This peat-cutting has now stopped, and it is being allowed to regenerate. Studies have found that peatlands can store twice as much carbon as a forest, so they are important environments for tackling climate change. In 2004 a Neolithic trackway was excavated on this site. It was radiocarbon dated to 2900-2500 BC and is the earliest example of corduroy construction in Britain. This means the round timbers were set perpendicular to the direction of travel, giving it the look of corduroy fabric. In 2019 a group of volunteers recreated this trackway using Neolithic style stone tools and techniques. It is still on display on the moors today.
Image and trackway copyright of the Isle of Axholme and Hatfield Chase Landscape Partnership.
