Thurlbear Quarrylands
How
to get there
To locate the reserve entrance leave the
A358 at Nag’s Head public house south east of Henlade and follow the RSPCA
Animal Centre signs towards West Hatch.
After one and a half miles the entrance will be found on the right just
beyond the second right turn to Stoke St Mary and just before the sign on the
left to West Hatch.
Leave the car near the cattle grid at
ST274212 and walk past the caravan park along the driveway to the wooden gate,
which is kept locked except on open days.
Climb the style and you are in the reserve.
The site is ideal for school outings and
guided walks. There is wheel chair
access, but prior arrangements need to be made with reserve manager in order to
obtain a key to the front gate. Tel: 0870 774 4309.
Butterflies
recorded on the site include the following
Small skipper, Large skipper, Dingy
skipper, Grizzled skipper, Clouded yellow, Brimstone, Orange tip, Large white,
Small white, Green-veined white, Green hairstreak, Brown hairstreak, Purple
hairstreak, Brown argus, Common blue, Holly blue, Small copper, Duke of
Burgundy, Red admiral, Painted lady, Small tortoiseshell, Comma, Peacock,
Silver-washed fritillary, Speckled wood, Marbled white, Meadow brown,
Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Wall brown and Small heath.
Other
wildlife
Apart from butterflies other wildlife
recorded on the site include Lesser and Common Whitethroat, Willow & Garden
Warblers, Blackcap, Nuthatch, Turtle Dove and Woodock, Dormice and other small
rodents, various orchids and rare plants; but perhaps of greatest pleasure to
many is the carpets of Bluebells and the singing of the Nightingales in May.
