 Old London Road Nature Reserve is a small field just outside Wotton-under-Edge, adjacent to the Conygres Scout Hut and sandwiched between Conygre Wood, and the Old London Road out of Wotton. For the last 40 years the site has been managed for the extremely rare limestone woundwort (Stachys alpina), a plant found in the bottom of the hedgerow here, in the surrounding woodland, and at only one other British site!
In 2007 the nature reserve was awarded a £10,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund/ BBC Breathing Places campaign and is now managed as a community nature reserve. Local volunteers have been involved with cutting and raking the grass, laying the hedge and digging over the hedge bottom (to benefit the Limestone woundwort and other hedgerow plants like nettle-leaved clustered bellfower, primrose and gromwell). They have also put in benches, bat and owl boxes and a new wildlife pond.
Things to see and do
The reserve is at its best in spring, when mown paths take the visitor through a variety of woodland, hedgerow and grassland wildflowers and long grass in which small mammals and amphibians live. The Limestone Woundwort itself flowers at the end of June. In summer swifts, swallows and bats feed on insects flying above the reserve whilst in winter buzzards and occasional red kites soar overhead. The Reserve is, however, a good place for a picnic or to sit and contemplate nature at any time of the year.
It is extremely well-connected to the public footpath network, within walking distance of Wotton-under-Edge and a 5 minute stroll from the Cotswold Way. There are good, level walks to the North Nibley monument through Westridge Wood and to the wildflower and butterfly meadows of Coombe Hill through Conygre Wood.
There is a pond-dipping platform for use by groups (school, young people) by arrangement with the Trust. The local volunteer group meet on the last Sunday of every other month (January, March, May/June, July, September and November). Contact the Lower Woods Area Manager for more information (link).
How to get there
Driving out of Wotton-under-Edge towards North Nibley on the B4060, turn right up the Old London Road. The reserve is on the right hand side once you get to the top of the slope, just past a large pull-in where cars park up for the local walks mentioned above, and just before the Conygres Scout Hut. From the A46/Dursley/Tetbury take the B4058 to Wotton-under-Edge and then turn right, after the Cotswold Edge Golf Club, down the lane signposted “Waterley Bottom”. The reserve is about 100 yards after a small crossroads, on the left hand side of the road.
There is parking for a couple of cars at the Nature Reserve, and a disabled access path into it. Flat, mown paths take the visitor around the reserve, and these are wheelchair accessible in dry weather, and pushchair/terrain wheelchair accessible all year round.
Alternatively, try walking or cycling to the site – download the Reserve leaflet. |