Green spaces

There are many sites around Rushcliffe where you can see wildlife and enjoy the countryside. Please remember to follow the Countryside Code.

The Countryside Code

• Be safe - plan ahead and follow any signs
• Leave gates and property as you find them
• Protect plants and animals, and take your litter home
• Keep dogs under close control
• Consider other people.

Access to the Countryside

When visiting sites, please use public transport, walk or cycle where possible. Find out more about using green transport.

Some areas have been opened to the public through government grants to landowners. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) provides information on conservation walks and rides.

Places to Visit

Other green spaces open to the public within Rushcliffe:

• Bingham Linear Walk - A 2.5 km disused railway track that has been taken over by wildlife. Woodland and grassland habitats are home to wildflowers and butterflies. The main entrance is on Nottingham Road, Bingham. Owned and managed by Bingham town council.
• Bunny Old Wood - An ancient deciduous woodland with animal and flower interest. Managed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
• Cotgrave Country Park - Developed on part of the old colliery. Extensive tree planting has been carried out, with lakes and a restored section of the Grantham Canal. Owned by Nottinghamshire County Council.
• Dewberry Hill - Heath and wood, in an open space above Radcliffe-on-Trent. Access is by the public footpath surrounding the site. Owned by Nottinghamshire County Council.
• Fishponds Wood, Owthorpe - Owthorpe Fishponds consists of a mixture of habitats including wetland, ponds and drains; a small woodland containing, orchard, mature hedgerow, grassland and occasional scrub. Access is via the car park entrance off the Cotgrave to Colston Bassett Road. The site is privately owned but the public are welcome to visit.
• Great Central Walk - A disused stretch of the Great Central Railway, between Wilford Lane and Ruddington Lane. This area has developed a diverse range of trees, shrubs and wildflowers, supporting a lot of bird life. A footpath is provided along its length. Owned by Rushcliffe Borough Council.
• Grantham Canal - This disused canal runs from the River Trent near Lady Bay Bridge through to Grantham. Most of the canal has had the towpath restored and can be walked or cycled along. Many parts are important for a wide range of wildlife. Further information available from the Waterscape - Grantham Canal website or Grantham Canal website. Owned by British Waterways.
• Gresham Marsh - A grazed pasture with marshy areas. Access from Wilford Lane. Owned by the Environment Agency.
• Holme Pierrepont Country Park - A 270-acre country park, dominated by the lake used for water sports, but surrounded by areas of woodland, small ponds and grassland. Part of the National Watersports Centre, a Sports England site managed by Leisure Connections.
• Keyworth Meadow - A grassland and wetland site with abundant flowers and animals. Access is off Lings Lane. Owned by Keyworth parish council. Find out more about Keyworth Meadow.
• Large Green and Little Green, Car Colston - Areas of traditional common land within the village. Access is via roads and public footpaths.
• Manor Farm Animal Centre and Donkey Sanctuary, East Leake - Nearly 100 acres of farmland including meadow, lake, reed beds, woodland and willow coppice. There is a charge for entry. Find out more about Manor Farm.
• Meadow Park, East Leake - An historic agricultural landscape of pasture and meadow with hedgerows and trees. Kingston Brook runs through the site. Meadow Park is owned by Rushcliffe Borough Council.
• Naturescape Wildflower Farm, Langar - 44 acres of commercial wildflower beds, hedgerows, demonstration gardens, meadows, pond and marsh, plus a plant nursery. Find our more about Naturescape.
• Orston Millenium Green, Orston - An area of grassland, plantation, river bank and a pond, all adjacent to the River Smite in the village of Orston. Accessed off Smite Lane, the site is owned and managed as a millennium green by Orston Millennium Green Trust.
• Radcliffe-on-Trent River Cliffs - A walk following the top of the river cliffs. Mostly tarmaced and flat. Access from Rockley Park, Park Road, Radcliffe-on-Trent.
• Rushcliffe Country Park, Ruddington - A large park, with 36 hectares devoted to wildlife habitats. It contains areas of tree planting and grassland, plus a small lake, a bat cave and barn owl boxes. More information from the Friends of Rushcliffe Country Park. Owned by Rushcliffe Borough Council.
  
• Sharphill Wood, Edwalton - 23.73 acres of  mixed broadleaved woodland, with oak and ash being the dominant trees. The site can be accessed Public Rights of Way leading from Landmere Lane to the south of the wood, Peveril Drive to the north and Old Lane, adjacent to Wilford Cemetery to the east. Further information is available at the Friends of Sharphill Wood website. Owned by Rushcliffe Borough Council.
• Skylarks, Holme Pierrepont - A former gravel pit that has been recolonised by plants and animals since gravel extraction ceased. A good range of wetland and hedgerow birds can be seen on the reserve. Managed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
• Springdale Wood, East Bridgford - A new native woodland planted on farmland in 1999, off Springdale Lane. Owned by the Woodland Trust.
• Sutton Bonington Meadow and Copse - A four hectare site containing grassland, woodland, a dyke and a pond. Ridge and furrow patterns can be seen in the meadow. Adjacent to the River Soar. Owned by Sutton Bonington Parish Council.
• The Hook / Trent Field, Ladybay - Meadow and recreational area alongside the River Trent. Further information available from the Friends of The Hook. Owned by Rushcliffe Borough Council.
• The Green Line - An attractive stretch of urban disused railway, vegetated by scrub and grassland, stretching from Boundary Road to Melton Road, West Bridgford. Owned by Rushcliffe Borough Council.
• Upper Saxondale Community Nature Reserve – This is an area of informally managed grassland area with hedgerow and tree boundaries. An area of woodland and wildflower meadow and a circular path were installed in 2006. owned by Upper Saxondale Resident Assocation.
• Wilford Claypits - Old clay-pits which have developed important flower-rich grassland, scrub and marsh communities. Managed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
• Willoughby Wood, Willoughby on the Wolds - A new native woodland planted on farmland in 1999. This site has a wildlife pond and ridge and furrow patterns. Access from Bryans Lane, off Main Street. Owned by the Woodland Trust.
• Wilwell Farm Cutting - A 20 acre site on the edge of West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. It is an abandoned stretch of the Great Central Railway, particularly noted for its wildflowers. Access is from the B680, between Ruddington and Wilford. Managed by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

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