Things to do in Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, Nottinghamshire

One of the most magical things about visiting Wymeswold Meadows is the sense of seclusion you get when you step through the gates. The river is deeply cut, and, despite being so close to the road, this is the perfect spot for immersing yourself fully in the wild.

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.

Enjoy a walk at Holwell Reserves, disused quarries, with a mixture of grassland, woodland and exposed rock faces create a peaceful atmosphere throughout the year. A special place for bats, wildflowers, birds and mammals, Holwell Reserves is a hidden gem in the heart of Leicestershire.

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.

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 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.

Coombs Meadows (or Combs, Combes or Coombes, depending on provenance!) are a suite of grasslands overlooking the Vale of Belvoir. Take a stroll around this botanical haven this summer, and enjoy some of the best views in Leicestershire from the Belvoir Escarpment across Nottinghamshire.

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.