National Nature Reserves

The finest wildlife and geological sites in the country. 240 in the Albion Guide.

National Nature Reserves in Bedfordshire 3

Name	Area
Barton Hills	0.44 km²
King's Wood and Rushmere	1.9 km²
Knocking Hoe	0.08 km²

National Nature Reserves in Cambridgeshire 9

Name	Area
Barnack Hills and Holes	0.23 km²
Bedford Purlieus	2.1 km²
Castor Hanglands	0.9 km²
Chippenham Fen	1.1 km²
Holme Fen	2.7 km²
Monks Wood	1.6 km²
Upwood Meadows	0.06 km²
Wicken Fen	2.5 km²
Woodwalton Fen	2.1 km²

National Nature Reserves in County Durham 6

Name	Area
Cassop	0.07 km²
Derwent Gorge and Muggleswick Woods	0.69 km²
Durham Coast	0.63 km²
Moor House-Upper Teesdale	87 km²
Teesmouth	3.6 km²
Thrislington	0.23 km²

National Nature Reserves in Cumbria 25

Name	Area
Blelham Bog	0.02 km²
Bolton Fell and Walton Mosses	4.2 km²
Borrowdale Rainforest	7.2 km²
Clawthorpe Fell	0.12 km²
Cliburn Moss	0.26 km²
Drumburgh Moss	1.2 km²
Duddon Mosses	1.2 km²
Finglandrigg Woods	0.88 km²
Gowk Bank	0.15 km²
Great Asby Scar	3.1 km²
Hallsenna Moor	0.21 km²
High Leys	0.09 km²
Hutton Roof	1.1 km²
North Fen	0.02 km²
North Walney	6.5 km²
Roudsea Wood and Mosses	4 km²
Rusland Moss	0.24 km²
Sandscale Haws	2.6 km²
Sandybeck Meadow	0 km²
Smardale Gill	0.39 km²
South Solway Mosses	9.7 km²
Tarn Moss	0.16 km²
Thornhill Moss & Meadows	0.12 km²
Whitbarrow	5.7 km²
Wild Ennerdale	30 km²

National Nature Reserves in Devon 9

Name	Area
Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliffs	3.1 km²
Berry Head	0.61 km²
Black-a-Tor Copse	0.3 km²
Dendles Wood	0.29 km²
Dunsdon	0.57 km²
East Dartmoor Woods & Heaths	4.2 km²
Pebblebed Heaths	12 km²
Slapton Ley	1.9 km²
Wistman's Wood	1.7 km²

National Nature Reserves in Dorset 10

Name	Area
Arne Reedbeds	0.1 km²
Hambledon Hill	0.74 km²
Hog Cliff	0.89 km²
Holt Heath	4.9 km²
Holton Heath	1.6 km²
Horn Park Quarry	0 km²
Kingcombe	3.1 km²
Morden Bog	1.5 km²
Purbeck Heaths	33 km²
Valley of Stones	0.99 km²

National Nature Reserves in East Sussex 3

Name	Area
Castle Hill National Nature Reserve	0.47 km²
Lewes Downs (Mount Caburn)	0.49 km²
Pevensey Levels	1.8 km²

National Nature Reserves in Essex 7

Name	Area
Blackwater Estuary	11 km²
Colne Estuary	7 km²
Dengie	25 km²
Hales Wood	0.08 km²
Hamford Water	14 km²
Hatfield Forest	3.9 km²
Leigh	2.6 km²

National Nature Reserves in Gloucestershire 4

Name	Area
Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods	4.1 km²
Highbury Wood	0.46 km²
The Cheltenham Escarpment	0.6 km²
The Hudnalls	0.3 km²

National Nature Reserves in Hampshire 7

Name	Area
Ashford Hangers	1.4 km²
Ashford Hill	0.23 km²
Beacon Hill	0.4 km²
Castle Bottom	0.31 km²
Martin Down	3.4 km²
North Solent	9.3 km²
Titchfield Haven	1.2 km²

National Nature Reserves in Herefordshire 3

Name	Area
Downton Gorge	0.49 km²
Moccas Park and Gillian's Wood	2.4 km²
The Flits	0.28 km²

National Nature Reserves in Kent 11

Name	Area
Blean Woods	6.3 km²
Elmley	12 km²
Ham Street Woods	0.97 km²
High Halstow	0.53 km²
Lydden Temple Ewell	0.78 km²
North Kent Woods and Downs	7.8 km²
Sandwich & Pegwell Bay	6.3 km²
Stodmarsh	2.5 km²
Swanscombe Skull Site	0.02 km²
The Swale	2.2 km²
Wye	1.4 km²

National Nature Reserves in Leicestershire 3

Name	Area
Charnwood Lodge	0.8 km²
Cribbs Meadow	0.04 km²
Muston Meadows	0.09 km²

National Nature Reserves in Lincolnshire 4

Name	Area
Bardney Limewoods	3.8 km²
Far Ings	0.65 km²
Gibraltar Point	4.4 km²
Lincolnshire Coronation Coast	33 km²

National Nature Reserves in Norfolk 20

Name	Area
Ant Broads and Marshes	1.8 km²
Blakeney	10 km²
Brettenham Heath	2.3 km²
Bure Marshes	4.5 km²
Calthorpe Broad	0.44 km²
Dersingham Bog	1.5 km²
Foxley Wood	1.2 km²
Holkham	35 km²
Holme Dunes	1.9 km²
How Hill	1.3 km²
Ludham & Potter Heigham Marshes	0.84 km²
Martham Broad	0.62 km²
Mid-Yare	7.8 km²
Paston Great Barn	0.01 km²
Redgrave & Lopham Fen	1.3 km²
Roydon Common	1.8 km²
Swanton Novers	0.83 km²
The Wash	88 km²
Weeting Heath	1.4 km²
Winterton Dunes	0.84 km²

National Nature Reserves in North Yorkshire 6

Name	Area
Forge Valley Woods	0.67 km²
Ling Gill	0.05 km²
Lower Derwent Valley	6.1 km²
New House Farm, Malham	0.26 km²
Scoska Wood	0.11 km²
Skipwith Common	2.7 km²

National Nature Reserves in Northumberland 5

Name	Area
Kielder Mires	0.52 km²
Kielderhead	38 km²
Muckle Moss	1.7 km²
Newham Bog	0.14 km²
Whitelee Moor	15 km²

National Nature Reserves in Oxfordshire 4

Name	Area
Aston Rowant	1.6 km²
Chimney Meadows	0.5 km²
Cothill	0.02 km²
Wychwood	2.6 km²

National Nature Reserves in Shropshire 3

Name	Area
Stiperstones Landscape	16 km²
Wem Moss	0.29 km²
Wyre Forest	15 km²

National Nature Reserves in Somerset 9

Name	Area
Barrington Hill	0.18 km²
Dunkery & Horner Wood	16 km²
Gordano Valley	1.3 km²
Hardington Moor	0.09 km²
Hawkcombe Woods	0.98 km²
Leigh Woods	0.64 km²
Mendip	14 km²
Somerset Wetlands	61 km²
Tarr Steps Woodland	0.33 km²

National Nature Reserves in Staffordshire 4

Name	Area
Aqualate Mere	2.1 km²
Chartley Moss	0.44 km²
Hulme Quarry	0.41 km²
Mottey Meadows	0.43 km²

National Nature Reserves in Suffolk 7

Name	Area
Benacre	3.7 km²
Bradfield Woods	0.7 km²
Cavenham Heath	2 km²
Orfordness-Havergate	9 km²
Suffolk Coast	6.5 km²
Thetford Heath	0.98 km²
Westleton Heath	0.48 km²

National Nature Reserves in Surrey 3

Name	Area
Ashtead Common	1.8 km²
Chobham Common	5.2 km²
Wealden Heaths	28 km²

National Nature Reserves in Wiltshire 6

Name	Area
Langley Wood (Wiltshire)	2.2 km²
North Meadow, Cricklade	0.4 km²
Parsonage Down	2.8 km²
Pewsey Downs	1.7 km²
Prescombe Down	0.48 km²
Wylye Down	0.34 km²

National Nature Reserves elsewhere in East Midlands 5

Name	Area
Buckingham Thick Copse	0.45 km²
Calke Park	0.8 km²
Collyweston Great Wood	1.5 km²
Derbyshire Dales	3.9 km²
Sherwood Forest	4.3 km²

National Nature Reserves elsewhere in North West England 8

Name	Area
Ainsdale Sand Dunes	4.9 km²
Cabin Hill	0.28 km²
Gait Barrows	1.2 km²
Ribble Estuary	52 km²
Risley, Holcroft and Chat Moss	5.3 km²
Rostherne Mere	1.5 km²
The Flashes of Wigan and Leigh	7.4 km²
Wybunbury Moss	0.16 km²

National Nature Reserves elsewhere in South East England 4

Name	Area
Burnham Beeches	2 km²
Ebernoe Common	0.74 km²
Kingley Vale	1.5 km²
Newtown Harbour	2.9 km²

National Nature Reserves elsewhere in West Midlands 4

Name	Area
Chaddesley Woods	0.6 km²
Foster's Green Meadows	0.12 km²
Saltwells	0.52 km²
Wren's Nest	0.51 km²

National Nature Reserves elsewhere in England 7

Name	Area
Bradford Pennine Gateway	13 km²
Broxbourne Woods	2.4 km²
Golitha Falls	0.17 km²
Humberhead Peatlands	30 km²
Mid Cornwall Moors	11 km²
Ruislip Woods	3.1 km²
South London Downs	4.3 km²

National Nature Reserves in Aberdeenshire 7

Name	Area
Dinnet Oakwood	0.13 km²
Forvie	9.9 km²
Glen Tanar	42 km²
Mar Lodge Estate	293 km²
Morrone Birkwood	2.3 km²
Muir of Dinnet	12 km²
St Cyrus	0.92 km²

National Nature Reserves in Argyll and Bute 4

Name	Area
Glasdrum Wood	1.7 km²
Glen Nant	3.9 km²
Moine Mhor	4.9 km²
Taynish	3.4 km²

National Nature Reserves in Highland 18

Name	Area
Abernethy	128 km²
Ariundle Oakwood	0.71 km²
Beinn Eighe	49 km²
Ben Wyvis	23 km²
Cairngorms	260 km²
Corrieshalloch Gorge	0.07 km²
Craigellachie	2.6 km²
Forsinard Flows	154 km²
Glen Roy	12 km²
Glencoe	56 km²
Glenmore	21 km²
Insh Marshes	7 km²
Invereshie and Inshriach	37 km²
Knockan Crag	0.23 km²
Loch a' Mhuilinn	0.63 km²
Loch Fleet	11 km²
Loch Maree Islands	2.7 km²
Torridon	51 km²

National Nature Reserves in Stirling 3

Name	Area
Flanders Moss	8.2 km²
Loch Lomond	4.3 km²
The Great Trossachs Forest	165 km²

National Nature Reserves elsewhere in Southern Scotland 3

Name	Area
Caerlaverock	82 km²
Clyde Valley Woodlands	3.2 km²
St Abb's Head	0.78 km²

National Nature Reserves elsewhere in Scotland 4

Name	Area
Blawhorn Moss	1.1 km²
Corrie Fee	1.7 km²
Hermaness	9.8 km²
Tentsmuir	7.8 km²

National Nature Reserves in Wales 2

Name	Area
Fenn's, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses	7.7 km²
Lady Park Wood	0.45 km²

What is a National Nature Reserve?

National Nature Reserves are the flagships of the protected-area system — the best places to see the country's most important habitats and wildlife, and chosen so people can enjoy them too. In England they're declared and looked after by Natural England (often with partners); Scotland's are handled by NatureScot and Wales's by Natural Resources Wales.

Most welcome visitors, with trails and access laid on, though a few sensitive spots are kept quieter for the wildlife's sake.