The management of our nature reserves would be impossible without our amazing members and volunteers. Together we take care of almost 600 hectares, across Sheffield and Rotherham. These are places where you can enjoy nature and where our conservation work helps the wildlife you love to thrive. Thank you.
Crabtree Ponds is Burngreave’s hidden gem. In a very urban area, surrounded by roads, this handsome nature reserve brings much-needed green space. As part of a larger nature reserve and mainly used for recreational purposes or as a cut-through by local residents, this reserve is ideal for relaxing and enjoying the scenery.
Crabtree Ponds started life as an ornamental pond for Crabtree Lodge in the 19th Century and is now a large area of standing water abundant with aquatic life such as rudd, roach, perch, crucian carp, sticklebacks and even eels. Several species of local biodiversity priorities, such as hawker dragonflies, smooth and palmate newt, frogs and toads can also be found here.
The dense shrub layer provides ideal habitat for fungi, shelter for hedgehogs and an ideal home for many insects.
Pipistrelle, Daubenton’s and Leisler’s bats all flit over from the nearby Roe Woods to feed at the ponds. In the woods where sycamore, poplar and ash predominate, bird boxes have encouraged nesting blue tits and great tits, with treecreepers, nuthatch, wrens also breeding here.
Volunteer Work Days
Maintenance days with members of the local community are normally held on the first Monday of every month, from 10am to 12.30pm, but you can drop in whenever is convenient. Tasks include litter picking, habitat management, planting, and infrastructure repair. Tools, gloves, hot drinks and biscuits are provided – all help gratefully received! Find details for the next volunteer work day on our events page.
Your donations make it possible for us to care for Crabtree Ponds nature reserve.
Thank you!
If you would like to get in touch about Crabtree Ponds or any of our other nature reserves, please email us or call 0114 263 4335.
Access Information
Getting There
- Public Transport
- Bus numbers 1, 2, 3a, 20, 88 and 97 all stop nearby the nature reserve. Find more details on the Travel South Yorkshire website.
- Directions
- From Sheffield city centre take the A61 heading towards Bridgehouses Roundabout and take the second left on to Chatham Street and across the junction on to Pitsmoor Road. Continue on to Barnsley Road (A6135) for 1 mile then turn left at Norwood Road, then take the first right onto Crabtree Road. Follow the road then turn right at Crabtree Lane.
Accessibility
- There is a good path network through the woodland of the reserve, including a boardwalk along one side of the pond and links to Roe Wood and Little Roe Wood. Please contact us for disabled access information.
Other Information
- Dogs are permitted on the reserve.
Downloads
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