About the reserve

The area was formerly a sand pit and is a gift from the former owner, Mr Stanton, for use as a nature reserve. After becoming a nature reserve in 1996, work initially focused on major landscaping and stabilisation of the previous quarry edges.

A policy of ‘letting nature take its course’ has followed with the quarried land being gradually reclaimed, aided by early planting of many hundreds of trees and shrubs. A variety of grassland, gorse, hawthorn/bramble and some marshier now exist on reserve.

Management activities now focus on controlling the scrub to keep the grassland areas open and maintaining the mosaic habitats. Grazing through cattle and sheep as well as mechanical work has been employed to achieve these results.

The grassland areas include many interesting plants, particularly orchids such as pyramidal, common spotted, bee, and early marsh orchids which surround the pond. Comma, marbled white, common blue and other butterflies frequent at certain times of the year alongside various dragonflies and damselflies. Normally there is evidence or sightings of mammals including deer, badger, fox and stoat.

Birds represent a major attraction of the reserve. Over 50 species are seen each year with breeding birds including chiffchaff, willow warbler, whitethroat, green woodpecker, little grebe and others.

Little egret are a regular visitor; fieldfares and redwings flood in during winter; red kites routinely visit with excellent views as well as woodcock and lesser whitethroat.