The
Unofficial WebsiteWood Lea Common aka Maltby Crags
I lived for some years in Maltby and whilst Maltby Crags were famous, some would say infamous, I never heard the area called Wood Lea Common. It's what it says on the map but these map makers know nothing.
The site of special scientific interest lies to the west of Blyth Road and is accessible from Maltby Recreation Ground. Public footpaths cross the woodland. The crags are of national importance for the plants that grow on and around them. They are also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). Wild daffodils and ramsons blossom here, and although the elm trees have died out through Dutch Elm Disease, ash and oak have filled the spaces. There are many species of rare mosses and ferns in the crevices and the covering of ivy protects many plant and animal species.
They are also Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGs). The limestone gorge was carved by torrential glacial meltwater from the ice cap about 2.5 million years ago which cut its was through the layers of Lower Magnesian Limestone (Cadeby Formation). This limestone consists of thick, hard, granular layers interspersed with thin fractured layers. The different strata in the limestone can be clearly seen in the cliff faces north of Roche Abbey. The thicker layer is a valuable building material which was used in the construction of the Abbey and in many other local buildings.