About the reserve

One of the few remnants of very rare primary species rich magnesian limestone grasslands in the country.

An extensive area of magnesian limestone grassland with all the classic indicator species that define this internationally rare plant community.

Blue moor grass is the dominant grass with common rock rose, carline thistle, wild thyme, burnet saxifrage, felwort, restharrow and sea plantain which is more commonly associated with the coast.

The grassland is rich in invertebrates and meadow brown and common blue butterflies are abundant during the summer months.

There are stands of dense gorse and hawthorn scrub invading the western slope which does provide nesting cover for linnet, yellowhammer and common whitethroat.