Читать книгу The Lune Valley and Howgills. 40 scenic fell, river and woodland walks онлайн

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Wildlife

With little habitation and no industry along its course, the River Lune is one of England’s cleanest rivers and consequently rich in wildlife. It is one of the most important salmon rivers in the country, and the fish returning upriver from the Atlantic to breed can sometimes be seen leaping from the water. Sea and river trout are also among the fish frequenting the river. Once abundant, too, were eels that breed in the Sargasso Sea but grow and mature in the estuaries and rivers of western Europe. Rare, but still present, are colonies of white crayfish and pearl mussels, and conservation projects are being undertaken to improve their habitats.

Otters might be spotted, and there are known to be several holts from Halton all the way up to Tebay, although the Crook o’Lune is a good place to watch for them. Badger, roe deer, fox and hare all roam the surrounding countryside as, of course, do rabbit and grey squirrel. Britain’s native red squirrel, however, is now rare, but remains precariously established at the top end of the river around Newbiggin.