Carr House Meadows is patchwork of flower-rich meadows, perched above the Ewden Valley.
At Carr House Meadows, the old English style meadows have been maintained and create a lovely setting.
These meadows are a rare example of the flower rich fields that were once a common sight in England. They abound with colour – bluebells, yellow rattle and swathes of red and white clover. Scabious and orchids can all be found here, as well as the bright pink marsh-loving ragged robin, a rarity in the area.
Cattle do wonders for the meadows: grazing gives more delicate wildflowers the space to grow. They churn up the ground with their hoofs creating niches for wet loving plants to seed and creating an ideal habitat for insects.
Butterflies, beetles, spiders and grasshoppers all thrive in the rich foliage. The hedgerows and drystone walls are home to still more insects, plus a dense population of songbirds. Bullfinch, chiffchaff, willow warbler, pied flycatcher, jay and goldfinch are just some of the breeding birds on this reserve.
If you need to get in touch with us about any of our reserves, please email us or call 0114 263 4335.
Reserve Advisory Group meetings
RAG meetings are held twice a year to discuss any issues, updates and news about the reserve. Please contact us for more information.
Management Plan 2016 – 2026 Consultation
We’ve been putting together the new management plan for the next ten year management period, from April 2016 to March 2026. Drafts of these documents are available in the ‘Downloads’ section below.
