Mole Gap to Reigate Escarpment
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| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 Headley Heath | |
| Location | Surrey |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | TQ 194 526[1] |
| Interest | Biological Geological |
| Area | 1,016.4 hectares (2,512 acres)[1] |
| Notification | 1986[1] |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Mole Gap to Reigate Escarpment is a 1,016.4-hectare (2,512-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Reigate in Surrey.[1][2] It is a Geological Conservation Review site[3] and a Special Area of Conservation.[4] Part of it is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I.[5] Two small private nature reserves in the site are managed by the Surrey Wildlife Trust, Dawcombe[6] and Fraser Down.[7]
This eight mile long site on the North Downs contains an outstanding range of wildlife habitats, including large areas of woodland and chalk grassland. Mole Gap has a variety of Quaternary landforms and there are well developed river cliffs where alluvial fans have diverted the River Mole against the valley sides.[8] Some of the chalk grassland is CG2 sheep's fescue - meadow oatgrass community, which is one of the most species-rich types of grazing pasture found in Britain,[9][10] but the SAC is also designated for CG3, CG4, CG5 and CG6 grassland types.[11]
