There are basically four major landscape features in Doncaster. In the far north east of the borough there are the extensive lowland peat bogs of Thorne Moors and Hatfield Moors or Chace, part of a wider area known as the Humberhead Levels. These areas have been exploited for their peat in the past but are now gradually returning to a more natural state. The main features are that they are extremely flat and low lying, waterlogged and difficult to navigate across, even with a map and compass. There are areas of birch woodland, reed beds, lakes and areas of stagnant water, grasslands and a network of criss-crossing drainage ditches [the main reason that navigation is difficult.] One very prominent aspect of the wildlife is that there are a lot of snakes there...well, there are a lot of signs warning you about them anyway.
At the opposite end of Doncaster the narrow Yorkshire [or Southern] Magnesian Limestone Ridge crosses the borough. Gently rising from the east it has quite a steep and prominent escarpment in the west, reaching up to height of over 450 ft above sea level. Several pretty estate villages are located along its crest, one in particular, Hooton Pagnell, wouldn't look out of place in the Cotswolds. The Don Gorge at Sprotbrough is where the river cuts through the ridge.
Also mainly in the west of the borough there are several parkland areas associated with local stately homes. In the same part of the borough the area's former coal mining heritage can be seen at several locations where former colliery spoilheaps have been landscaped, topsoil added and woodland and grassland areas developed for community recreational use.
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