Old London Road

This nature reserve safeguards one of the only two remaining British locations of limestone woundwort.

Location

Just north of Wotton-under-Edge on Old London Road

Wotton-under-Edge

The nearest postcode is GL12 7PS

OS Map Reference

ST755942
What3Words: minder.news.statement

Know before you go

Size

1 hectare

Entry fee

Free

Parking information

There is a small amount of parking available next to a stone barn at the entrance of the reserve, or slightly further along Old London Road in an extended layby

Grazing animals

None

Walking trails

Flat, mown paths take the visitor around the reserve

Access

The paths are wheelchair accessible in dry weather, and pushchair/terrain wheelchair accessible all year round

Dogs

Dogs permitted

When to visit

Opening times

Open access throughout the year

Best time to visit

All year round

About the reserve

Old London Road is one of the smallest nature reserves, but fits in a mixture of woodland, hedgerow and limestone grassland, and is particularly lovely in spring. It joins a roadside in Denbigh as just two places in the UK to have a population of rare plant limestone woundwort or Stachys alpina, which flowers at the end of June.

The mown paths take the visitor through a variety of woodland, hedgerow and grassland wildflowers and long grass in which small mammals and amphibians live.

Swifts, swallows and bats feed on insects flying above the reserve in summer, while in winter you may see buzzards and red kites soaring overhead.

Old London Road is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and was adopted by GWT in 1972.