These three meadow areas, close to Northampton town centre, are part of the larger Bradlaugh Fields Park complex. The reserve contains fine examples of unimproved, semi-natural limestone grassland and fragments of ancient hedgerow. Plants typical of calcareous grassland are found here, including yellow-rattle, knapweeds, lady’s bedstraw, red bartsia and bird’s-foot trefoil. If you are lucky and visit at dawn or … Read More

Short Wood is a fragment of the Rockingham Forest, a medieval hunting forest. It is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest which includes areas of managed hazel coppice, many large oak, ash and field maple trees and small areas of dense blackthorn scrub. Occasionally, nightingales can be heard here. Much of the ancient woodland at Southwick Wood was replanted to replace elm trees felled in the late 1960s due to … Read More

This Site of Special Scientific Interest features different habitats that provide homes for a mix of wildlife. The mature woodland in the northern half of the reserve is dominated by ash, while the southern part is mainly blackthorn with some oak. Primroses in the spring are followed by bluebells and earlypurple and common-spotted orchids. Nuthatch and warblers can be heard, … Read More

The Boardwalks lies alongside the River nene at Thorpe Meadows. In 1991 it was declared a Local Nature Reserve. At any time of the year it is a beautiful place to visit. There are many different areas within the reserve; ponds of varying sizes and depths, marsh, tussocky grassland and many types of willow. The Boardwalks is rich in wildlife, … Read More

Visitors who stumble upon this tiny site will find what remains of a wet meadow and pond system that pre-dates the housing estate. Great crested newts and smooth newts share this refuge and it is thought to be one of the best breeding sites in Peterborough.

The site is split into two halves. On the west side there is a reedbed that provides homes to many birds such as reed warbler and reed bunting. The pools and channels within the reedbed are home to great crested newt and some uncommon species of water beetle. Surrounding the reedbed is a circular boardwalk for easy access. On the … Read More

This beautiful ancient woodland consists of a canopy of oak and ash with hazel and field maple below. The northern section is actively managed by traditional coppicing with baskets weaved around the stools to stop deer and rabbits grazing on them. The ground flora is diverse here, especially in spring when there are lots of wood anemones and a spectacular … Read More

One of a number of old gravel pits along the Nene Valley, Storton’s Pits is important for wetland birds and insects. An old ditch along the northern edge supports some of the rarest insects in the county. Reed beetles can be seen from late spring and water beetles can be seem all year round in the open pools. Duston Mill … Read More

This is an urban reserve just off the A45, and its marshy grassland is home to such a tremendous diversity of wildlife that it falls within the Nene Valley Special Protection Area. The site contains locally rare seminatural wetland habitats, which include wet grassland, marginal vegetation and fen/swamp communities, river backwaters, ponds, reedbed, willow scrub and mature hedgerows. There plenty … Read More

Wilson’s Pits are three disused gravel pits with areas of scrub, grassland and the newly created ‘scrape’ areas. The older pit has developed into a sheltered area surrounded by maturing willows and reedbeds that are very important for invertebrates.