• print page
• email this page
• ask a question

Trail Guide at Lightwater Country Park

1. Web Heath and Bog
In front of this post is a low lying wet area. The vegetation here includes purple moor grass, Dwarf Gorse and Cross-leaved Heath. On warm sunny days this area attracts dragonflies, butterflies and the occasional basking lizard; although you will need to be quick to see one!

2. What's this hole in the ground?
This pit has been dug to show you the different layers of soil in the ground. These layers are known as a soil profile. In these porous sandy areas the nutrients in the top layers of the earth have been washed down through the soil to form a hard iron pan which is dark in colour (see diagram). This soil structure, known as a podzol gives rise to the distinctive heathland vegetation which is common throughout the Country Park.

3. Nest Boxes
In the trees around this post you should be able to see three bird boxes. Where natural holes and crevices provided by old, mature trees are scarce, these boxes can provide good alternative nest sites for birds. The different designs you can see attract different species. Why not build a bird box and give a bird a ready made nest site in your garden?

4. Scrub - A jungle in miniature
A scrub thicket where tree saplings and Gorse have become matted together with Brambles can look uncared for, a real jungle in fact. However in the Country Park scrub is conserved because of its importance to the local birds, mammals and insects. These thickets are ideal nesting areas for birds including Dunnock, Wren and Long-tailed Tit. A safe refuge they provide food and shelter all year round. In addition several mammal species from Woodmice to Roe Deer also use these areas. If you look carefully in the scrub around the post you may be able to see their runs through the undergrowth.

5. Meadow
You are now overlooking a meadow which in the spring and summer is a mass of grasses and wildflowers. They range from the tiny pink flowered Common Centaury through to the 1.5 metre tall Marsh Thistle. This variety of nectaring flowers provide food and shelter for many insects. If you have the time why don't you go on a bug hunt!

6. Heathland View
At this post you are provided with good views of the surrounding heathland which is dominated by Ling Heather. Amongst the Ling is Gorse and Bell Heather. This low growing vegetation is interspersed with individual and small groups of Silver Birch and Scots Pine trees.

7. Heathland Wildlife
Heathland which can be seen beyond this information panel provides habitat for species such as Adder, Silver-studded Blue butterfly and Dartford Warbler.

8. Hammonds Pond
This pond is managed for both recreation and wildlife. Although fishing is a regular activity, much has also been undertaken to enhance the wildlife value of the lake. This has included planting water plants, dredging works creating shallows and islands and coppicing shrubs to create cover for nesting wildfowl!

9. Mixed Woodland
Our woodlands at the Country Park are managed in order to create a variety of conditions to encourage a greater range of wildlife to use them. Ongoing management requires the removal of invasive Rhododendron which would otherwise take over the woodland, shading out any native plants. If you look at the surrounding woodland you will notice a variety of tree sizes from saplings to mature specimens. This has been achieved by selective thinning resulting in increased light to the woodland floor which benefits wildflowers and young sapling trees.

Dead wood plays an important part in the woodland nutrient cycle. This can be in the form of standing trees which provide nest sites for woodpeckers and act as a host for bracket fungi. Alternatively log piles are an additional habitat for small mammals, birds and wood boring mini-beasts.

10. Pine Woodland
Scattered through the woodlands are several large Wood Ant nests. These are preyed upon by Green Woodpeckers, particularly in the winter when food is in short supply. The woodpeckers can sometimes be seen flying up from these ant nests when disturbed. These birds have the name of 'Yaffle' referring to the laughing like cry they emit.

11. Middle and lower ponds
These two ponds were excavated as part of the water drainage system when the motorway was built. This area used to be part of Lightwater Bog and some of the original vegetation still exists around the pond margins. If you look across to middle pond island you will see it is covered by a one metre high shrub. This is Bog Myrtle a plant unique to acid bogs. On warm summer evenings the ponds take on another dimension as bats flit across the water in search of their insect prey.

Heathland trail - This trail winds its way from Post No. 3 to the top of High Curley at 129 metres above sea level. The viewpoint has an indicator plate to help pick out points of interest. The trail then returns across the heathland rejoining at Post No. 7 and finishing at the Visitor Centre via some spectacular heathland views.