Footpath Works at Barnack Hills & Holes National Nature Reserve

Works are continuing on the Public Footpath that runs adjacent to the Walcot Estate Wall. Natural England are installing fencing to ensure that the public and dogs can walk unhindered along the right of way, without coming into contact with the livestock on the reserve. A number of gates will be fitted along the length, to make access between the footpath and the reserve easy.

We have faced a number of challenges with the never-ending wet weather and limited staff resource to complete the work to our original intention, by the end of the calendar year. We are now confident that the work will be completed by the end of March.

You may have noticed that we needed to remove some of the trees along the footpath. The main aim here was to open up this area to make it safer and more welcoming to walkers, as well as to allow more wild flowers to thrive. It will also help us to manage the footpath once complete. Apart from the removal of some of the timber left along the track we don’t plan to do any further work with regards to the remaining woodland edge at this time.

As you will now be aware, grazing is an essential habitat management technique that enables us to control the scrub and rank grasses that shade the rare and beautiful plants such as the pasque flower, that make the site very special. With the exception of a couple of decades after the Second World War, the site has been grazed by livestock for hundreds of years, certainly from when the Romans used the area as a quarry.

Natural England would like to thank the local residents for working with us at this important National Nature Reserve and do please get in touch if you have any questions, comments or observations.

Christopher Evans – Senior Reserve Manager Tel: 07979 873504
christopher.evans@naturalengland.org.uk