Bateswood

Bateswood Nature Reserve

Bateswood

Now a haven for skylarks, Bateswood was once part of a opencast mine workings

Location

Bateswood
Leycett
ST5 6AL
(Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough) Midway between Silverdale and Madeley Heath
Leycett
ST5 6AL (nearest)
A static map of Bateswood

Know before you go

Size
25 hectares
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Entry fee

No
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Parking information

Small parking area up track leading from gate. Combination required for padlock on gate, please phone Trust for combination code. Please do not park on the lane before the gate.
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Grazing animals

Yes
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Walking trails

The plateau is fenced for grazing and we ask visitors not to walk across this area.

Contact the Trust for disabled access information.

 Uneven terrain.

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Access

Access is via stiles / narrow gates.

Combination required for padlock on gate, please phone Trust for combination code.

Uneven terrain.

Dogs

image/svg+xmlUnder effective control

Please keep dogs close to you, preferably on a lead, especially between April and July when many birds are nesting on or close to the ground.

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

April to August

About the reserve

Highlights
  • A spring visit is the best time to hear the unmistakable song of the skylark
  • Look out for dragonflies and damselflies during the summer months
Reclaimed by wildlife

Since mining activities stopped the reserve has become a haven for a wide range of species. Perhaps most notable for its population of skylarks, their song is unmistakable during spring and summer. Other birds are beginning to use the site too and lapwings have begun breeding in small numbers. The young trees and scrub provide homes and song perches for small birds such as chiffchaff, willow warbler, blackcap and wren.  

Delightful dragonflies

The small pools and wet, marshy areas provide homes for insects and amphibians. With the absence of fish in many of the pools there are relatively few predators of the diverse aquatic insects and their larvae, which are able to thrive in large numbers. Over 13 species of dragonfly have been recorded to date and if you sit quietly on a warm sunny day and you may find yourself becoming a temporary perch for foraging dragonflies! One pool supports a colony of newts, including great crested newts which are an important species and are protected by law.  

A Living Landscape

'Living Landscapes' is The Wildlife Trusts innovative approach to nature conservation and involves focusing our efforts on improving the wider landscape to make it better for wildlife.  Find out more here

Contact us

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
Contact number: 01889 880100
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