Distribution of limestone pavement

Within the Atlantic Biogeographical Region, limestone pavements occur in the UK, Ireland and Sweden. Elsewhere in Europe there are believed to be only fragmentary occurrences in high alpine limestone areas. However, these pavements lack the distinctive surface patterning seen on British pavements. Only the pavements in the UK and Ireland have such distinctive woodland flora and fauna.

Bloody Crane’s-bill

Pavement Distribution in the UK
Limestone pavement is very scarce and only covers 2600ha in Britain. Nevertheless it is widespread, being found from south Wales to northern Scotland on three different limestone formations - the Carboniferous in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the Dalradian and Durness (Cambro-Ordovician) in Scotland.

The main areas of limestone pavement are concentrated in northern England and The Burren in the Republic of Ireland. Extensive areas of pavement can be found in the Yorkshire Dales and in a ring of limestone surrounding the Lake District in Cumbria and north Lancashire. Other small areas of pavement can be found in the extreme north-west and across the central region of Scotland. Pavement can also be found in Wales in two arcs, one to the north of Wales and one across the central southern area across the Brecon Beacons.

The map below shows the distribution of limestone pavements across Great Britain.

Reproduced from Ordnance Survey map data by permission of the Ordnance Survey. Crown Copyright 2001

Areas of limestone pavement can be found in both northern and southern Ireland. The majority of the Irish limestone pavement is to be found on the clean bedded limestone, (light blue on map) and the muddy limestone (green) on the geological map below. However, the pavement in Ireland has not been systematically surveyed so there is no extent map to show exact pavement locations.

Map taken from “The Karst of Ireland” Copyright the Karst Working Group 2000

The most notable pavement areas in Ireland are in the Burren to the south of Galway Bay in County Clare. The Burren is a classic limestone landscape with many karst features, including expanses of limestone pavement and ephemeral lakes called turloughs. It is the largest area of limestone pavement in the UK and Ireland. The map below shows the extent of the Burren limestone.

Map of The Burren from "The Karst of Ireland" Copyright the Karst Working Group