Ulverscroft Valley
Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Ulverscroft Nature Reserve | |
Location | Leicestershire |
---|---|
Grid reference | SK 497 123[1] |
Interest | Biological |
Area | 110.8 hectares (274 acres)[1] |
Notification | 1984[1] |
Location map | Magic Map |
Ulverscroft Valley is a 110.8-hectare (274-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-west of Markfield in Leicestershire.[1][2] The site is in five separate blocks, and two areas are nature reserves managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT). Lea Meadows is owned by the LRWT[3] and it is also a scheduled monument.[4] Part of Ulverscroft Nature Reserve is owned by the LRWT and part is owned by the National Trust and leased to the LRWT.[5]
SSSI
The Ulverscroft Valley was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) under Section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is described by Natural England as being one of the best wildlife sites in the county, with grassland, heath, woodland and wetlands. Over 200 plant species have been recorded on the site, with an especially rich flora in wet areas.[6] The nature reserves are open to the public, but others parts are private land with no public access.
The drier habitats are dominated by sweet vernal grass, crested dog's-tail and fescues; the fragrant orchid and flea sedge, both rarities in the county, grow here. Wetter areas support a rich flora with 13 species of sedge, including bottle sedge, another county rarity, as well as heath spotted-orchid, marsh violet and marsh arrow grass, quaking-grass, and the uncommon Adder's-tongue fern.[6]
The acidic marshy grassland is covered by a mixture of purple moor-grass, tufted hair-grass, rushes and sedges, with patches of heather and bilberry and spikes of meadow thistle. There are areas of unspoilt sessile oak woodland which have an understorey of sallow, European gorse and western gorse. Breeding birds in the woodland include woodcock and snipe, and occasionally western yellow wagtail and common redstart.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Ulverscroft Valley". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- ^ "Map of Ulverscroft Valley". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- ^ "Lea Meadows". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- ^ "Moat at Lea Meadows South of Polly Botts Lane, Ulverscroft (Ancient Monument)". Charnwood Borough Council. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- ^ "Ulverscroft". Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
- ^ a b c "Ulverscroft Valley citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
52°42′32″N 1°16′23″W / 52.709°N 1.273°W / 52.709; -1.273
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- Allexton Wood
- Ashby Canal
- Bardon Hill
- Barrow Gravel Pits
- Beacon Hill, Hangingstone and Outwoods
- Benscliffe Wood
- Blackbrook Reservoir
- Botcheston Bog
- Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir
- Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry
- Breedon Hill
- Briery Wood Heronry, Belvoir
- Buddon Wood and Swithland Reservoir
- Burbage Wood and Aston Firs
- Cave's Inn Pits
- Charnwood Lodge
- Chater Valley
- Coalville Meadows
- Cotes Grassland
- Cribb's Lodge Meadows
- Croft Hill
- Croft Pasture
- Croxton Park
- Debdale Meadow, Muston
- Dimminsdale
- Donington Park
- Eye Brook Reservoir
- Eye Brook Valley Woods
- Frisby Marsh
- Grace Dieu and High Sharpley
- Grantham Canal
- Great Bowden Borrowpit
- Groby Pool and Woods
- Harby Hill Wood
- Holly Rock Fields
- Holwell Mouth
- Kendall's Meadow
- Kilby - Foxton Canal
- King Lud's Entrenchments and The Drift
- Launde Big Wood
- Leighfield Forest
- Lockington Marshes
- Loughborough Meadows
- Lount Meadows
- Misterton Marshes
- Muston Meadows
- Narborough Bog
- Newton Burgoland Marshes
- Oakley Wood
- Owston Woods
- Pasture and Asplin Woods
- River Eye
- River Mease
- Roecliffe Manor Lawns
- Saddington Reservoir
- Sheepy Fields
- Sheet Hedges Wood
- Stanford Park
- Stonesby Quarry
- Swithland Wood and The Brand
- Terrace Hills Pasture
- Twenty Acre Piece
- Ulverscroft Valley
- Wymondham Rough
- Bardon Hill Quarry
- Beacon Hill, Hangingstone and Outwoods
- Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir
- Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry
- Buddon Wood and Swithland Reservoir
- Charnwood Lodge
- Cliffe Hill Quarry
- Croft and Huncote Quarry
- Dimminsdale
- Enderby Warren Quarry
- Gipsy Lane Pit
- Grace Dieu and High Sharpley
- Ives Head
- Main Quarry, Mountsorrel
- Newhurst Quarry
- One Barrow Plantation
- Shepshed Cutting
- Sproxton Quarry
- Tilton Cutting