Snows Farm

Snows Farm is a beautiful traditional grassland that comes alive with flowers and butterflies in spring and summer. Its situated at the head of the Dillay Valley and is about three miles north-east of Stroud. The reserve is part of the Slad Valley Wildlife Way that links Frith Wood and Swift's Hill nature reserves on a circular walk.

Location

Three miles north east of Stroud at the end of Steanbridge Lane in Slad. Please note Snows Farm (house) is privately owned.

Stroud

Know before you go

Size

21 hectares

Entry fee

Grazing animals

Yes

Walking trails

This reserve is part of the Slad Valley Wildlife Way.

Access

Dogs

On a lead

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

All year

About the reserve

The Dillay Brook runs through the valley bottom and access is from a track from Slad village. The reserve is fenced with stiles and gates and is grazed by Dartmoor ponies. There is an old derelict building known as the Old Shop at the northern end. All that remains is a walled enclosure and pile of stones. The limestone grassland supports early purple, fragrant and pyramidal orchids as well as autumn gentian, vervain and clustered bellflower. The scrub areas includes dog-rose, field-rose, hawthorn, dogwood and there are wayfaring-trees. alder, white willow, ash and hazel grow along the edges of the stream. Whitethroat, marsh tit, skylark, tree pipit and grey wagtail are some of the birds recorded at the reserve. There are good populations recorded of small blue, marbled white and green hairstreak butterflies.