Sunnybank

Please keep dogs on leads and always follow the Countryside Code. Respect, Protect, Enjoy your local green spaces.

About Sunnybank Nature Reserve

Despite its small size and urban location (tucked behind a petrol station at the end of Ecclesall Road), Sunnybank is a hugely valuable green space where people can find trees and tranquillity, away from the noise of the ring road.

Sunnybank was also the very first reserve created by the Trust (then Sheffield City Wildlife Group) in 1985.

Sunnybank nature reserve is particularly important for wildlife as it is the end of a green corridor which stretches through the leafy streets of Broomhill, to the Botanical Gardens and out through Endcliffe Park and Whitely Woods to the Peak District.

The pool at Sunnybank is surrounded by aquatic and wetland plants, and is home to several types of dragonfly, pond skaters and the common frog which is a UK threatened species. Look out for information in early September about how you can help us catch and protect frogs before the annual meadow cut.

The woodland and scrub are home to chiffchaffs, greenfinches and blackcap, while butterflies abound on the hay meadow in summer. Species to be found include the small skipper, green veined white, red admiral and common blue, while six spot burnet and cinnabar moths have also been sighted, along with foxes, hedgehogs and pipistrelle bats.

Volunteer Work Days

Come and join in at our Community Work Days at Sunnybank. Get some healthy exercise and help us look after this tiny but fantastic nature reserve. It’s a great way to explore and get involved with the reserve.

We’ll be undertaking a variety of tasks including vegetation management, fence repairs and access improvements. Everyone is welcome, no experience is needed and we will provide equipment and training. Come along for the whole day or just for an hour or two.

Please email us or call 0114 263 4335 for more details. We will send a monthly email with tasks planned for the day and meeting points.

Find out more about volunteering with Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust.

Thank You

Together with our members and volunteers we take care of 15 nature reserves, including Sunnybank, spanning 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.

Your donations make it possible for us to care for Sunnybank nature reserve. Thank you!

Access Information

Getting There

Public Transport
Many buses provide access to Sunnybank from Ecclesall Road including the 65, 81, 82, 83, 215 and 272. Find more details on the Travel South Yorkshire website.
Directions
Sunnybank is in easy walking distance from Ecclesall Road, the centre of town and Broomhall. Entrances to the reserve can be found off Ecclesall Road, Broomhall Close and William Street. Travelling by car from Sheffield city centre, drive along Hanover Way heading up to Brook Hill Roundabout. Turn left onto Broomhall Street and then look out for Broomhall Place which is another left-hand turn.

Accessibility

A Public Right of Way goes through the reserve, with a network of paths coming off it.
The pond is wheelchair accessible.

Other Information

Dogs on a lead are permitted on the reserve.
Please keep dogs on leads and always follow the Countryside Code. Respect, Protect, Enjoy your local green spaces.
Cyclists are permitted to cycle through the reserve along the main path.
Camping is not permitted at this reserve.
Barbecues and campfires are not permitted at this reserve.