Wild places

This is the largest ancient woodland in Leicestershire and Rutland, covering 158.3 ha. and located just north of Rutland Water. It is part of the Burley and Rushpits Woods SSSI. The wood stands on Upper Lias Clay, mostly on a south-facing slope, but with varied topography. Parts have been planted with conifers and broadleaves.

Located between Burrough on the Hill and Somerby, south of Melton Mowbray, Burrough Hill Country Park is one of the most striking and historic features in the landscape of eastern Leicestershire. The well-preserved Iron Age hill fort dramatically crowns a steep-sided promontory of land reaching 210m (690 ft), with superb views. A prominent landmark and ready-made arena, the hill has long been a place for public recreation. As well as the grassy hilltop the country park offers diverse wildlife habitats and varied areas to visit.

Cademan Wood lies to the south of Grace Dieu Park. It is a mature and attractive woodland with numerous rocky outcrops, popular with families, dog walkers and local climbers.

Caldecott is the most southerly village in Rutland and is located about 4 miles south of Uppingham. The church dates from the 12th century although there is some Norman fabric remaining. The churchyard is a reasonably large and has a number of trees and areas of unmown grassland.

This corridor follows the path of the small brook which flows southwest past past the sewage works of the Goadby Road before running along the boundary of the parish towards the boundary of the Thorpe Arnold cricket ground. At that point, it is known as Thorpe Brook and runs through Melton Mowbray before joining the River Eye. Farther upstream, the name of they brook is not designated on OS maps; a previous wildlife study gives the name of Caldwell Brook (does anyone have more information?).

Designated a Local Wildlife Site in 2011, the site includes the verges on both sides of the road (688 metres in length on the east/south side, and 668 metres on the west/north side). The main habitats are calcareous grassland and mixed grassland. The verge is approximately 1 metre wide (E/S) and 1.5 metres wide (W/N).

Castle Gardens is a green oasis close to the City centre in Leicester.  It is located in the historic “Castle Park” area with the River Soar forming a natural boundary on the west and the old Courthouse and St Mary de Castro church to the East (note that access to the churchyard is restricted).

The Gardens contain many specimen trees, shrubs and seasonal planting whilst the Castle motte has more natural vegetation and mature trees with fine views from the top.

The park was established in 1985 and comprises of approximately 104 ha of mainly improved grassland and plantation woodland which are located between Beaumont Leys and the village of Anstey.  The A46 Western Bypass divides the park into two linear sections with the Rothley Brook forming the western boundary.

Centenary and Royal Tigers Wood, purchased by the Woodland Trust in 1993, covers an area of 33.5 hectares and occupies a prominent hillside position south of the village of Bagworth. The woodland is made up of two sections: Centenary Wood to the north was planted to commemorate 100 years of Bagworth Parish Council, whilst the section to the south, Royal Tigers Wood, is a living memorial to The Royal Leicestershire Regiment.

The nature conservation importance of Charnwood Forest is remarkable. It includes 23 Sites of Special Scientific Interest, along with many more areas designated as Local Wildlife Sites. A wide range of unusual and important species are associated with its distinctive heathlands, neutral grasslands, woodlands, rocky outcrops, reservoirs and watercourses.

The reserve is owned by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and covers 193.5 ha. Most of the reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and part was declared a National Nature Reserve in 2000. Note that significant areas of this important and sensitive nature reserve have no public access. Other areas have limited access to LRWT members and other permit holders only.

Ancient woodland covering 55 ha. but now planted with conifers. It seems likely that it was an Ash-Maple wood, with a rich flora, including Some of the rides are wide and valuable features.

An ancient woodland covering 14 ha (also known as Adder Wood) to the north of Clipsham and near to the quarry, however it was clear-felled and planted with conifers by 1960. Formerly it was a species-rich Ash-Maple wood on calcareous clay.

This 33 hectare site is ancient woodland and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It stands on Keuper Marl and Boulder Clay and is one of the most floristically rich sites in the county. In the past it was a larger site standing on Carboniferous Limestone but this has since been quarried out. The woodland was clear-felled around the time of World War II but was allowed to regenerate naturally. It was donated to the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust in 1993 by Ennstone Breedon plc. The Trust has now reinstigated coppice management in parts of the site.

This is a 6 hectare site to the east of Whitwick. It is one of the best examples of neutral grassland and has been designated as a SSSI (see below).