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Habitat type: Ancient woodland, river and wetland
Size of reserve: 77 hectares / 190 acres
OS map number: 107
Grid reference: SX 129 652 (main entrance by sawmill)
Best time to visit: Summer for birds, butterflies and flowers
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Directions
From the A38, 3 miles (5 km) east of Bodmin, take the turning towards Cardinham (next to purple lodge). Cross the bridge over the River Fowey and access is via the first track on the right.
Access
Parking is opposite the sawmill. The trail is good underfoot, but can be wet and slippery and there are steep inclines.
Characteristic wildlife of this reserve
The dormouse needs a varied habitat to provide its food throughout the summer. Woodland management, as practised by the Trust, helps to create a suitable environment.
The blue ground beetle is a rare species restricted to Cornwall and Devon and occurs in just half a dozen locations around Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor. The beetle’s favoured habitat is moist, bare ground under deciduous tree cover and it is typically found in ancient pasture woodlands. It is a nocturnal animal, climbing trees to locate its prey; slugs, snails and caterpillars. Its larva is also a predator that feeds on slugs.
Other information
The site contains the remains of a mine, where bats roost. Its small adit is the main water source for the nearby pond, which gives a rare opportunity in a woodland habitat for amphibians to live and breed.
The reserve was purchased in 1997 with a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund matched by generous donations from the Trust's Habitat Appeal.
