About the reserve

The limestone grassland at Daneway Banks is a rare survivor. In spring and summer this sloping nature reserve comes alive with a wealth of wildflowers, including rock-rose, cowslip and orchids. The wildflowers attract a diverse range of insects, such as dingy skipper butterflies and six-spot burnet moths, which in turn bring a variety of birds

The quality of the habitats found here led to it being chosen for a project to reintroduce the large blue butterfly, which went extinct in the UK in the 1970s. Eggs collected on a Swedish island were brought to the reserve and in just a few years, Daneway Banks has become world renowned as a great place to see this butterfly with the world’s largest population recorded here in 2019. The best months to see large blues are June or July, depending on the weather.

One of the most striking features of the nature reserve is the large ant hills made by the yellow meadow ant. These small mounds are particularly noticeable in winter when they contribute to a lunar-like landscape.  In some parts of Gloucestershire these are known as ‘emmet casts’ after the old English word for ant, and they’re often visited by woodpeckers, which dig holes with their bills to get to the ants inside.

Daneway Banks has been untouched by modern farming methods, which means it remains an excellent example of limestone grassland. GWT has leased it since 1968 and purchased it in 2016 after one of its biggest fundraising campaigns to date. Chief Executive Roger Mortlock has described it as ‘one of our most treasured and diverse limestone grassland sites’. 

Other species to keep an eye out for are the rare cut-leaved germander and cut-leaved selfheal plant, both of which flower in late summer. Also, keep an eye out for dark green fritillary, marbled white, and small blue butterflies.

A vital part of the management of Daneway Banks involves the grazing of hardy native species of sheep and ponies at different times throughout the year.

Find out more about Gloucestershire's large blue butterflies