To view leaflets with maps and interesting information on each site, scroll to the bottom of this page and download them as a PDF

Carbrook Ravine
Situated next to the Parkway between the Manor and Woodthorpe, Carbrook Ravine seems an unlikely candidate as a nature reserve. But the ravine’s mix of woods, scrub and grasslands supports a rich variety of plants and its proximity to residential housing makes it a vital open space for local communities.

Carr House Meadows
These spectacular hay meadows are a reminder of the glories of the countryside of the past, with a swathe of grasses and flowers such as yellow rattle and ox-eye daisy providing a stunning view in summer. Because the meadows have been spared agricultural ‘improvement’ they support a far wider array of plants, invertebrates, birds and animals than most present-day English fields.

Crabtree Ponds
The pond and woodland at Crabtree Ponds are tremendously popular with local residents, who come to fish at the Reserve, to walk their dogs or just to sit and relax in the middle of Sheffield. Despite its small size the Reserve contains a rich variety of wildlife, and is well used as an educational resource by local schools.

Moss Valley Woodlands
Moss Valley Woodlands are part of a larger body of woodlands south of Sheffield, lying between Norton and Jordanthorpe. In the past the woodlands were coppiced to provide charcoal for the burgeoning iron industry, and this aspect of their history is visible in a number of archaeological features present on the Reserve, as well as being instrumental in determining their present form. Today the woodlands are a place for quiet recreation, and are home to a stunning array of woodland birds and a rich ground flora, including large areas of beautiful bluebell.

Sunnybank
This tiny Reserve, perched under the Broomhall estate in the centre of the city, is the most visited of Sheffield Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves. The pond, trees and meadow offer instant relief from the urban world, with wildlife sculptures firing the imagination and drawing in curious visitors.

Wyming Brook
Wyming Brook has served the people of Sheffield as a place to enjoy the natural world for a century, and it is easy to see why it has had such enduring appeal. The moors at the Reserve’s eastern edge give way to wooded slopes, opening out on to magnificent views of the Rivelin valley and its dams. The woodlands include native deciduous trees and planted conifers, making Wyming Brook’s bird populations especially varied, and this, combined with the way the slope of the valley gives a good view of the tree canopy, makes the Reserve a favourite of local bird watchers.

Fox Hagg
Fox Hagg’s heathland habitat is locally and regionally important, and, along with the woodland areas of the Reserve, attracts large numbers of bird species. The Reserve is well used by the residents of nearby Lodge Moor.

Salmon Pastures
Not all nature reserves have been green places for ever, and Salmon Pastures Nature Reserve is actually an example of a modern habitat called urban common. An old industrial site nestled between still-existing business premises on the bank of the urban Don, it has been taken over by a range of opportunist plants that moved in when industry moved out. The new plant community supports several types of butterfly and plenty of other invertebrates, including dragonflies that visit the Reserve from the river and the adjacent Five Weirs Walk.

Blackburn Meadows
Beloved by birdwatchers and local people, Blackburn Meadows is home to an amazing variety of wildlife. The tranquil lakes attract hundred of birds, while the surrounding grasslands are full of butterflies. The Reserve is a firm favourite with families who come here to picnic or just to unwind and enjoy the peace of nature. Why not make it part of a longer walk along the canal or the river? Few would believe that there could be a nature reserve here, in the middle of the industrial area between Sheffield and Rotherham. But once you have seen Blackburn Meadows for yourself, you will agree that there is no better way to escape the stresses of urban life without leaving the city.
Blackburn Meadows is managed by a consortium including the Sheffield and Yorkshire Wildlife Trusts, Yorkshire Water, Sheffield City Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, South Yorkshire Forest Partnership, the Countryside Agency and Magna Science Adventure Centre.