About Hammond’s Field Nature Reserve
One of the few remaining areas of unimproved farmland around the moorland fringes, Hammond’s Field forms a small part (x4.2 hectares) of the South Pennine Moors Special Protected Area (SPA). Rich in wildlife, this semi-improved wet pasture has an interesting mosaic of habitats enclosed by traditional drystone walls.
Hammond’s Field is generally very wet in winter as evidenced by large areas of soft rush and smaller clumps of sphagnum moss. Field woodrush and grasses such as Yorkshire fog, common bent and marsh foxtail are very much in evidence. Other common species include creeping buttercup, cuckooflower, heath bedstraw and tormentil.
Along with the surrounding rough grassland pasture, hay meadows and moorland, Hammond’s Field provides a varied mosaic of habitats for important wading bird species such as lapwing, snipe, curlew and golden plover, both in the breeding and wintering seasons. Management is focused around providing suitable breeding habitat for curlew, lapwing and snipe through control of soft rush. Cattle graze the reserve to create a more diverse vegetation structure from late summer and through the autumn when there is least disturbance to breeding birds and ground flora.
A large number of common toads and smooth newts have been found hibernating in the old drystone wall on the southern boundary. Skylarks and meadow pipits have also been known to successfully nest on the reserve and swallow, house martin, kestrel, grey wagtail, mistle thrush, goldfinch and linnet are regular visitor. The reserve also attracts and supports a large variety of butterflies, with meadow brown, gatekeeper, peacock, small heath, ringlet, small tortoiseshell, red admiral, orange tip, green veined white, small white, large white and small copper all having been recorded during the summer of 2017. You may also be lucky enough to see a painted lady or wall brown butterfly that have also recently been recorded very nearby the reserve. Email us for more information.
Thank You
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.
Access Information
Getting There
- Public Transport
- Bus number 51 stops at Lodge Moor bus terminus on Redmires Road, a 20 minute walk from the nature reserve. Buses 273, 274 and 275 all stop on Manchester Road to the north of the reserve. Find more details on the Travel South Yorkshire website.
- Directions
- From Sheffield city centre take the A57 from Brook Hill roundabout and continue on to Fulwood Road, taking a slight right to continue along the A57 into Manchester Road. Continue for around half a mile before turning left onto Selbourne Road, then turn left onto Sandygate Road. Continue and keep right to follow onto Redmires Road for around 2.5 miles and park in Wyming Brook car park, or continue on along Redmires Road to park next to the top reservoir. Hammond’s Field is located along the signposted footpath opposite the reservoir on the right hand side.
Accessibility
- There is no access to the field itself, but a viewing area has been created at the south west corner at the end of approach track, which is a permissive path.
Other Information
- Dogs are not permitted on the reserve.
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