Sotby Meadows
Parish: Sotby
OS: 122 • GR: TF 205778 • Map ref: 50
6.10 hectares (15.20acres) • Part freehold, part leasehold 1979
Habitat type: Grassland
Location and Access
The reserve lies about 1 km (0.6 miles) south of Sotby. Passing southwards through the village take the right fork towards Wragby. A green lane will be found on the left, where cars may be parked. The reserve entrance is reached on foot: walk down the green lane and the entrance gate will be seen on the left. Visitors are requested to keep to the field footpath and avoid trampling, especially before hay time.
Description and Management
These small meadows with the adjoining green lane and large old hedges form a landscape and wildlife feature of special interest, representing a type of countryside that has now almost vanished in Lincolnshire. The flora includes adder's-tongue, moonwort, dropwort, great burnet, yellow rattle, twayblade, and pyramidal and green-winged orchids. Around 200 species have been recorded, including 28 grasses. The hedges are fine examples of old species-rich hedgerows. The green lane hedge adjoining the reserve has oak, ash, hawthorn, purging buckthorn, blackthorn, crab apple, midland hawthorn and field maple. Seventeen breeding species of birds have been recorded in the hedgerows.
Management consists of taking a late summer hay-crop and grazing the aftermath during autumn.
