This sounds like a silly question, I know, but please help me out. What are moors, and where would we go to see them? We're going to England in April, and someone asked me this question, and I didn't know the answer.

Dee, <BR>Moors are vast stretches of wind swept, open tableland, usually at somewhat higher elevations and lacking in trees. You'll find heather, peat and swampy bogs in low lying areas. While they have unique charm, they are no place to visit (particularly in April) without rain gear, boots and warm, layered clothing. You'll find them in the north of England in the North York Moors National Park and in the West country of Devon and Cornwall.

For the most famous Moor, see a good production of OTHELLO. (Sorry, I just couldn't resist!)

For the most famous Moor, go see a good production of OTHELLO. (Sorry, I just couldn't resist.)

The upland Moors of the British Isles are amongst the remote areas, offering some of the wildest, most rugged and magnificent scenery found anywhere in Europe. <BR> <BR>Uplands may be defined in general terms as those vast areas of moor and bog found at over 240m. They are bleak and open, and include areas of untamed ground, the remnants of the true wilderness of the British Isles. <BR> <BR>In southwest England the only major uplands are Dartmoor and Exmoor. Dartmoor covers 94,500ha and stands on a vast granite base with scattered boulders and tors. Heather, cross leaved heath and purple moor grass dominate with bracken on the lower slopes. Exmoor dominating the north Devon and Somerset coasts covers 68,635ha. Because it stands on sandstone much of it is now agricultural but the moor and heathland vegetation remains. <BR> <BR>Going north, the next upland area is the Penines which includes the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales. <BR> <BR>Then comes the Lake District then the Northumberland Hills and the Cheviots. <BR> <BR>All are brilliant for birds and you can expect to see golden plover, dunlin, red grouse, ring ouzel, raven, merlin, buzzard, dippers, and curlew. <BR> <BR>(Uplifted and synopsised from "Bird Habitats of Great Britain and Ireland") <BR> <BR>Scotland has some great moors too, but I'm restraining myself.

There are the moors in Thomas Hardy country, also known as the west country, and there are moors near to Manchester in the Pennines as someone posted earlier. <BR>I love the moors near Manchester. For us, they are quite high and are often shrouded in cloud and mist, for example, when driving over from Manchester to Leeds in the winter. They are so bleak and empty, and you can understand why they must have held previous generations in awe and sometimes fear.