Things to do in Bardon, Leicestershire

A mosaic of woodlands in the heart of Charnwood, this ancient, broadleaved woodland is bursting with wildlife. In the spring, you can enjoy a spectacular display of bluebells. Enjoy woodland birds all year round, including Nuthatch, Treecreeper, woodpeckers and Tawny Owls.

For stunning views across the Leicestershire countryside, yet nestled in the suburbs, look no further than Altar Stones nature reserve. Perched atop a rocky hilltop, it is said that during World War II, you could see the bombing of Coventry – 30 miles away!

Ownership of this reserves is split between the Wildlife Trust and the National Trust, however the Wildlife Trust has managed both areas since 1966. A real gem in the heart of Charnwood Forest, this reserve offers a wide variety of habitats to explore. Whether you’re a birdwatcher, a botanist or just looking for a nature reserve to really explore, Ulverscroft is the perfect place to get away from it all for a few hours.

Managed on behalf of the National Trust, this tiny mixed woodland is the perfect place to indulge in a spot of tree hugging – what’s the oldest tree you can find? Listen out for drumming woodpeckers and calling nuthatches or pop a sweet blackberry in your mouth in autumn.

At nearly 200 hectares, this beautiful nature reserve abounds with ancient history, atmosphere and wildlife. Grasslands support an array of butterflies in the summer, whilst the woodlands burst with birdsong in the spring, and turn fiery golden in the autumn. Prominent 600 million-year-old Precambrian rock outcrops protrude through the surrounding marl and other Triassic deposits.

This nature reserve may be relatively young, but it is already bursting with life. Just a few miles from Ibstock and Coalville, this is the ideal place to escape the area’s industrial heritage. Birdwatching is best in the late spring. A great site for warblers, listen out in the early mornings and late evenings for the reeling of the grasshopper warbler – just like a fishing reel!

Lea Meadows is a beautiful, diverse and historical nature reserve, teeming with wildflowers and birds. The meeting of meadows, woodland and a meandering stream make for a peaceful, wild experience – and if you’re lucky, you might even see a kingfisher!

Cloud Wood has long been known as one of the best sites in Leicestershire for flora, with over 220 recorded species of ferns and flowering plants recorded! Look out for some interesting and beautiful orchids, violet helleborine, greater butterfly orchid, bee orchid and broad-leaved helleborine.

Tom Long’s Nature Reserve (formally known as Tom Long’s Meadow) is a narrow corridor of land approximately 600m in length and no wider than 75m. The area is made up of mosaic of wet grassland and wet woodland habitats, perfect for amphibians, wildflowers, woodland birds, butterflies and dragonflies.

This reserve is well known for the spectacular display of snowdrops that appear in late winter and early spring. A visit to this special site is a must to enjoy the carpet of white that appears, giving hope that warmer times are on the way and spring is just around the corner.

Loughborough Big Meadow is just that – a diverse 45ha site of herbrich hay meadow. The meadow has been used for flooding as long as records exist, and this has led to a beautiful wildflower meadow, with interesting birds making their homes along the river.

This innovative reserve is part of the Soar Valley floodplain system. Originally agricultural fields, harvested for maize, grazed by cattle and used as grassland in their recent history, we are now allowing nature to take back control. This is perfect for both people and wildlife, as we hope that this floodplain reserve will help to protect the homes and livelihoods in the area, by soaking up rainwater in times of flooding. This also creates ideal conditions for plants and animals to thrive.

This wetland haven is worth visiting all year around, but comes alive in the winter, when rafts of ducks, like wigeon and teal, gather on the lakes, and short-eared owls hunt over the meadows. Wrap up warm enjoy a brisk winter walk to one of the best wildlife spots in the Soar Valley.

A network of scrapes and wet meadows, Wanlip is the ideal place to try your hand at birdwatching. The wetland supports a number of birds throughout the year, but the winter and spring are our favourite times to visit – wrap up warm for winter for wildfowl, and explore in summer for wading birds, which adore the muddy edges to the scrapes.