Habitat type: Regenerating heathland, planted woodland and ponds
Size of reserve: 3 hectares / 7.5 acres
OS map number: 10
Grid reference: SW 771 413
Best time to visit: All year
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Directions
From the A39 at Devoran, 3.5 miles (6 km) south of Truro, take the turning for Bissoe. Just after Bissoe, the road bends to the left and access is via a track off to the left. A cycle hire centre is on your right and the reserve access is via a track to the left.
Access
Parking is available nearby, just a short walk from the reserve. A network of footpaths crisscross the reserve. Some paths have shallow inclines but are generally well surfaced for easy walking. The Mineral Tramways Cycle Trail runs through the northern part of Bissoe Valley.
Characteristic wildlife of this reserve
The scarce blue-tailed damselfly is a delicate species that may be found well away from breeding sites, establishing new colonies. Males of the species are similar to the more common blue-tailed damselfly and these are difficult to tell apart, the scarce blue-tailed having more blue colouration on its posterior segments. Immature females tend to be bright orange. The mature female has a greenish-coloured thorax and black abdomen. Adult damselflies have large eyes and long thin bodies with two pairs of long narrow wings which are held together at rest, unlike dragonflies which keep their wings out to the sides. They are predators, using their sharp mouthparts to feed on other insects caught in flight. Their larvae are aquatic and are also active hunters.
The grayling butterfly’s elaborate markings, dark brown wings with black eye-spots, make it stand out from the many butterflies found here.
Other information
Near to the reserve is a chimney and other remains of the Point Mills Arsenic Refinery. The British Arsenic Company (later the Cornwall Arsenic Company) operated these works for a century, ending with the outbreak of World War Two. The arsenic was famed for its high quality. The reserve was a gift from Carrick District Council in 2000.
