WT Farthinghoe leaflet 2015

Access The reserve is open to visitors at all times.

It is requested that all dogs be kept on leads.

How to find the reserve OS grid reference SP518403 The reserve is four and a half miles west of Brackley. South of the A422, midway between Middleton Cheney and Farthinghoe, turn into Purston Lane. Where the Purston road crosses the old railway line there is a kissing gate leading to the reserve. There is limited parking space on the bridge.

Welcome to

Further information To contact us about this reserve or about how you can support us please write to: The Wildlife Trust, Lings House, Billing Lings, Northampton NN3 8BE, Tel: 01604 405285.

E-mail: northamptonshire@wildlifebcn.org

Farthinghoe

To join the Wildlife Trust please contact Membership at The Wildlife Trust, The Manor House, Broad Street, Cambourne CB23 6DH. Tel: 01954 713543.

E-mail: membership@wildlifebcn.org

Cover image by Tim Pridmore

How the Trust cares for this reserve The meadows are cut for hay in September in order to keep the soil fertility low and encourage the return of the meadow flowers the following year. The scrub adjacent to the woodland is cut on rotation each year to create a natural edge to the woodland as it merges into the Cowslip grassland and the rides through the woodland are regularly cut to encourage the woodland flora. Hedge-laying and hazel coppicing also take place on site.

Illustrations by Mike Langman

The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire. Registered charity no: 1000412

Beautiful demoiselle

We hope you enjoy you r visit

www.wildlifebcn.org

Protecting wildlife close to home

Farthinghoe is a smallissite that is asite mosaic of Farthinghoe a small that

is developing woodland, open grassland and ponds. a mosaic of developing woodland, open grassland and ponds.

Before the the sitesite became a Before became a nature reserve it nature reserve it formed

of the partformed of the part London North

London North Western

Western Railway Railway whichwhich was

wasopened openedinin1856.

1856.The The reserve which covers

reserve which covers was about four hectares established in was November about 4 hectares 1984 in agreement with Northamptonshire 1984 in agreement County Council with and is now managed by the Northamptonshire County Wildlife Trust.

established in November

Council and is now managed

Marbled white Marbled white

Farthinghoe was recognised as being of

by the Wildlife Trust. importance for wildlife and people in 1993 and was declared Local Nature Farthinghoe was arecognised as Reserve by the County Council.

being of importance for wildlife

The reserve now consists of a patchwork of maturing woodland with rides linking the Nature Reserve byglades the County meadows and and isCouncil. specifically managed to achieve this diversity of habitats for wildlife.

and people in 1993 and was declared a Local

arenow seats every 100 or soofproviding TheThere reserve consists of ametres patchwork vantage points with stunning views over the

maturing woodland with rides linking the surrounding countryside.

meadows and glades and is specifically managed to achieve this diversity of habitats for wildlife.

There are seats every 100 metres or so providing vantage points with stunning views over the

What look for Whattoto look

for

Flowers Flowers Many flowers found found at atFarthinghoe Farthinghoeare areunique Many of of the the flowers unique to the area. Fragrant is found to the area.

Fragrant agrimonyagrimony is found in only a few in only a few locations the county.

Several locations in the county. in Several species, such as species, such as yellow loosestrife, bluebells, yellow loosestrife, bluebells, snowdrops and fritillary, snowdrops and fritillary, probably originated in probably originated in the station master’s garden and the station master’s garden and orchard which orchard which was once located on the east side of was once located on the east side of the reserve. the reserve. In spring, sweet violets, primroses and In spring, sweet violets, primroses and cowslips cowslips are in bloom everywhere androbin ragged robin are in bloom everywhere and ragged can canfound be found on the damp meadow with sneezewort, be on the damp meadow with sneezewort, trefoils and vetches.

In summer the meadows trefoils and vetches. In summer the meadows are are coloured with coloured with knapweed, knapweed,ox-eye ox-eyedaisy daisy and Stand St-John’s John’s wort. wort.

Birds Birds More than 100 species of bird have been Over 100 species of bird have recorded on the reserve.

In summer the air is been recorded on the reserve. blackcap, garden filled with warblers including In summer the air is filled with warbler, willow warbler and chiffchaff. Coal tit, warblers including blackcap, marsh tit and long-tailed tit are resident and garden warbler, willow and are joined in winter by warbler a regular flock of siskin chiffchaff. tit, marsh tit andand buntings. and good Coal numbers of finches long-tailed tit are resident Great spotted and green and are Great woodpeckers can found flock of joined in winter bybe a regular spotted feeding amongst the trees siskin and good numbers of finches and woodpecker and meadows. you are buntings.

GreatIfspotted and green lucky, you might a woodpeckers can spot be found feeding amongst the trees hawfinch in the Cherry and meadows. If you areWood. lucky, you might spot a Sparrowhawk, red Sparrowhawk, buzzard, hawfinch in thebuzzard, Cherry Wood. kite and raven can be seen red kite and raven can be seen regularly overhead.

Great regularly overhead.

Insects Insects During summer months meadows and rides During the the summer months thethe meadows are filled with butterflies including a colony of and rides are filled with butterflies including marbled whites. 27 species of butterflies a colony of marbled whites.

Twenty seven have been species of butterflies have been recorded with and recorded with 22 regularly seen.

Dragonflies 22 regularly seen. and damselflies damselflies canDragonflies also be seen through the summer. canThe alsomost be seen through summer.

The notable is thethe beautiful demoiselle which most notable is during the beautiful demoiselle which can be seen June and July feeding and canresting be seen Juneside andof July andMigrant onduring the sunny thefeeding shrubbery. resting on the sunny side of the shrubbery. hawker and common darter dragonflies patrol the Migrant hawker and common darter dragonflies meadows and rides in late summer feeding on patrol the meadows and rides in late summer smaller insects. feeding on smaller insects.

Grass snake Grass snakes Grass snakes On warm days Farthinghoe is one of the best On warm days places to see grass snakes Farthinghoe is one of basking in the sun.

They breed successfully the best places to see in the compost heaps that have been created for them. They can grass snakes basking in the sun. They also be seen hunting for grasshoppers on the breed successfully in the compost heaps that have meadows and stalking frogs in the pond. been created for them. They can also be seen hunting Grass Mammals for grasshoppers on the meadows andsnake stalking frogs There are obvious in the pond. signs of mammals, especially badgers Mammals whoThere have are taken to obvious signs of mammals, especially digging up the paths badgers who have taken to digging up the paths looking for food. looking for food. Pipistrelle and long-eared bats find Pipistrelle and longan bats idealfind hunting ground here.ground Field voles, eared an ideal hunting here.wood mice, common and pygmy shrews thrive Field voles, wood mice, common and pygmyin the meadows woodlands. and roe deer are shrews thrive and in the meadowsMuntjac and woodlands. regular visitors.

Muntjac and roe deer are regular visitors.

spotted woodpecker

surrounding countryside.

N

Wet Meadow

Woodland

Meadow

Cherry woodland

Scrub

Pond

Reserve path Reserve boundary Road