Letcombe Valley, Oxon

The lovely mix of chalk stream, woodland and chalk grassland creates a tranquil haven for wildlife and people at this nature reserve. 

The Letcombe Brook is a rare habitat - there are only two chalk streams in the whole of Oxfordshire and only 161 UK-wide. Running along the eastern edge of the reserve is a steep bank with a flat top (the Old Bassett Road) where fragments of chalk grassland remain among the scrub and are filled with wild flowers in summer. 

Access: 30% surfaced paths; some moderate slopes unsurfaced; steps, kissing gates

Letcombe Valley

Parsonage Moor, Oxon

A fenland wilderness rich in botanical gems, moths and dragonflies. It's particularly rich in plants for its size with more than 300 different species recorded here including some intriguing insectivorous species such as butterwort. 

This site is also excellent for birds and insects. Look out for the day-flying scarlet tiger moth, and dragonflies and damselflies, including the nationally-rare southern damselfly.

Park at nearby Dry Sandford Pit and walk over to explore Parsonage Moor. Why not explore the whole of the Cothill Fen area, including several other BBOWT nature reserves, on our circular wild walk.

Access: Flat; wet ground; boardwalks, kissing gate. There are also ponies grazing the fen. 

Parsonage Moor

Cothill Fen Wild Walk

Watts Bank, Berks

This small reserve on a steep southwest slope is part of a larger wildlife site named after the adjacent track from Lambourn, the White Shute Byway. Fragments of wildflower-rich chalk grassland, like Watts Bank, have usually survived because they are situated on a hill or earthworks which are unsuitable for ploughing.

This grassland hillside is a natural sun trap, sheltered from wind by patches of scrub at each corner. It is very attractive to butterflies, with an impressive 32 species recorded, including chalkhill blue, green hairstreak, brown argus and dingy skipper. They fly amongst the wild flowers and at least 16 species of grass including quaking-grass, whose purplish-green flowers dance delicately in the breeze. 

Access: Steep slope; rough, sloping ground, no paths; stile, gate. There are no formal paths through the reserve.

Watts Bank

Whitecross Green Wood, Bucks

A dynamic yet fragile woodland habitat renowned for its beautiful butterflies and wild flowers along the wide, grassy rides.

In summer butterflies are abundant. Look out for the marbled white and common blue. The magnificent purple emperor may be spotted basking on the bare earth before vanishing up into the oak tree canopy. Look out for the silver-washed fritillary and white admiral too. BBOWT's careful management of the blackthorn bushes is helping to strengthen the survival of rare black and brown hairstreaks.

Please stick to the mown rides when visiting the reserve to help protect the flowers growing along the woodland edges.

Access: Mainly flat, sloping at southern end, flat rides bumpy paths, some roots, bench

Whitecross Green Wood

Wildmoor Heath, Berks

Wildmoor Heath is a precious survival of rare heathland habitat and through the year is home to a rich, but fragile, community of fungi, insects, reptiles, birds, mosses and flowering plants.

The reserve is a fantastic place to look for dragonflies and damselflies. More than 20 species have been recorded here. You can enjoy these beautiful insects from boardwalks that cross some parts of the bog.

It's also a good place to look for the grayling butterfly, which is particularly well-camouflaged when it's sunbathing on the ground.

Access: Variable, mainly firm, gently sloping, sandy paths, some boggy peat, some rough underfoot, can be very muddy in winter; gates, stiles, boardwalks

Wildmoor Heath

Yoesden, Bucks

Yoesden is a beautiful example of the traditional Chiltern landscape in south Buckinghamshire. A swathe of chalk grassland undamaged by ploughing, fertilisers and intensive grazing is packed with rare butterflies and wild flowers and is topped by a ‘hanger’ woodland of beech, yew and whitebeam trees on the edge of a steeply sided valley.

It is considered by many as one of the jewels of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for the numbers of butterflies found on site. Nearly 30 species have been recorded, including three scarce blue species: Adonis, chalkhill and small blue butterflies, all of which rely on the flower-rich grassland that makes up about half of the reserve.

Late in the summer the colours change to a much deeper purple with carpets of Devil’s-bit scabious, knapweed and Chiltern gentians starting to dominate areas of the grassland.

Access: Sloping, steep and stony in places, muddy in places; kissing gates and gates; bench

Yoesden