Status
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
National Nature Reserve (NNR)
Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Access
Access on public footpaths from Witherslack Hall School and North Lodge involves a fairly steep climb. Access from the east has more gentle gradients. Access from any direction involves a walk of at least 1km/0.6 miles before the reserve is reached. Once on the reserve, the terrain is less steep and a circuit linking the two public footpaths provides a walk of approximately 2.75km/1.7 miles.
Directions By car From A590 take road signposted Witherslack. Follow this through the village and then for a further 2km/1.2 miles. At Witherslack Hall turn right and onto the rough track for parking. Follow the footpath across field and up the scar to the reserve. A more gentle approach is possible from The Howe or Row off the A5074, however, parking here is limited. By bicycle The reserve is 3.3km/2 miles from Regional Route 30. By public transport Buses run from Barrow in Furness, Ulverston and Kendal to Witherslack.
Please select a nature reserve from the list below to see more details: Alternatively, you can browse through all the reserves by using this search facility and clicking on one of the links which appear below:
Whitbarrow - Hervey Memorial Reserve
What to expect on the nature reserve: habitat, wildlife and more (hover over an icon for more info)
Seasonal highlights on the nature reserve
Spring
Limestone flowers: early purple orchid, hoary rock-rose, primrose, cowslip, blue moor-grass, bird’s-foot sedge
Butterflies: brimstone, pearl-bordered fritillary
Summer
Butterflies: including high brown fritillary, small pearl bordered fritillary, dark green fritillary, grayling, northern brown Argus, common blue, small heath
Flowers: dropwort, bird’s-foot trefoil, thyme, dark red helleborine, common rock-rose
Ferns: hart's-tongue fern, rigid buckler-fern, hard shield-fern, limestone fern
Birds: skylark, wheatear
Autumn
Plants: heather in flower, yew berries
Mammals: red and roe deer
Birds: winter thrushes – redwing and fieldfare
Grassland fungi: waxcaps
General: woodland colours
Winter
Birds: winter thrushes – redwing, fieldfare,
General: Winter views of Lakeland and Morecambe bay
Mammals: deer
All year
Plants: juniper
Birds: green woodpecker
Mammals: deer
General: fantastic views, limestone pavement. grazing with rare breed cows and sheep.
Overview
The Carboniferous limestone of which Whitbarrow Scar is made was laid down 350 million years ago. The nature reserve occupies 100 hectares on top of the Scar and includes the summit cairn. The enclosure, also known as Flodder Allotment, was created in the 19th century as a result of the Enclosure Acts. Limestone is exposed on the nature reserve as a series of limestone pavements, low crags and scree.
What to see
Very thin soils over much of the site provide ideal growing conditions for a variety of plant species such as wild thyme, bird's-foot trefoil, common and hoary rock-rose, dark red helleborine, dropwort, lesser meadow-rue and limestone bedstraw. The main grass species, blue moor grass, may appear common here, however it has an extremely limited distribution in the UK. The limestone pavements provide sheltered places for a range of unusual plants to thrive. Hart's-tongue fern, rigid buckler-fern, hard shield-fern and limestone polypody are abundant here. Between the limestone pavements, thicker soils allow heather and bracken to grow. Scattered ash, birch and juniper add to the habitat mosaic of this fascinating place. Light year-round grazing with sheep and cattle has been re-introduced to maintain this mosaic.
The nature reserve has a rich invertebrate fauna. High brown, dark green, pearl-bordered and small pearl-bordered fritillaries all breed as do northern brown argus, grayling, common blue and small heath butterflies. Breeding birds include meadow pipit, both green and great spotted woodpecker and redstart. Roe, and occasionally red deer, are seen on the nature reserve.
Recent History
A small part of the nature reserve is owned by Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the remainder is held on a long lease from the Argles family. The nature reserve was established in memory of Canon A K Hervey, a founder member of Cumbria Wildlife Trust.
Overview
The nature reserve has a rich invertebrate fauna. High brown, dark green, pearl-bordered and small pearl-bordered fritillaries all breed as do northern brown argus, grayling, common blue and small heath butterflies. Breeding birds include meadow pipit, both green and great spotted woodpecker and redstart. Roe, and occasionally red deer, are seen on the nature reserve.
