With only 2,000ha remaining, limestone pavement is one of the UK’s rarest and most vulnerable wildlife habitats. With a range of rare plants and animals, these distinctive geological formations are a particular speciality of the north of England, and south and east Cumbria has some of the richest and most important examples of limestone pavement which survive in the country.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust is delighted to have the chance to take over the management of Clawthorpe Fell National Nature Reserve and Holme Park Quarry Local Nature Reserve, near Burton-in-Kendal. The two sites sit next to each other on the western edge of a large expanse of limestone pavement, which contains the striking outcrops of Hutton Roof Crags and Farleton Knott.

Stephen Trotter, Chief Executive of Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: “Limestone pavements are fantastic and precious places. Their dramatically sculptural and beautiful rock formations were carved by ice thousands of years ago and have been shaped by rainwater ever since. The distinctive plants which grow on them include a plethora of orchids, ferns and other wild flowers - and they are the natural inspiration for rock gardens. Sadly, these habitats have been threatened by, and much reduced due to their removal for use in gardens and water features. Cumbria Wildlife Trust has been looking after and protecting several unique limestone areas since the 1970s and so we’re delighted to protect and look after these sites, thanks to Aggregate Industries and Natural England.”

Pete Jones, Reserves Officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust explains what makes these nature reserves so special: “Clawthorpe Fell and Holme Park Quarry are two fantastic areas of Carboniferous limestone pavement, each of which has their own special features. We’re very grateful to Aggregate Industries for enabling us to take on these lovely nature reserves and are looking forward to the rewarding job of managing them for wildlife. We’ll be working closely with local people and contractors to help prevent scrub (small trees and shrubs) from dominating, and removing invasive plants, such as the garden escapee cotoneaster - it spreads so quickly and densely that it prevents the specialist plants that we want to encourage from growing underneath it.”

Limestone pavements are slabs of smooth grey rock, incised with deep fissures and patterned with swirling hollows. They may look like an unlikely wildlife habitat but as Pete explains, they’re known for their botanical richness: “Clawthorpe Fell consists of two distinct areas, one on the edge of the quarry and the other known as ‘the island’, sitting on top of a pillar of rock in the middle of the quarry itself. It’s a good place for spring cinquefoil, a cheery yellow flower which will be coming into bloom soon; spring sandwort, a rare white plant which grows in crevices, and dark red helleborine, a rare and beautiful wild orchid whose splash of deep-red colour stands out against the bare limestone rocks – it’s only found at only a few sites across the UK.”

“The ‘island’ has been less damaged by quarrying, with pristine pavement, along with grassland and scrub, where there are mature juniper plants and in a good year, fly orchids, whose flowers look like little flies - this attracts insects to pollinate them!”

Pete continues: “There’s less bare limestone at Holme Park Quarry, because of quarrying, but the eastern part has intact pavement that has become forested over the years. Here you can see several magnificent old beech trees, their roots extending deep into the grykes and channels of the pavement. There’s a fantastic viewpoint at Holme Park Quarry, showing you not only the levels of limestone on the sheer cliff faces, but it’s also a great place to watch peregrine falcons and ravens that nest on the cliffs during the spring and summer.”

Clawthorpe Fell was designated a National Nature Reserve in 1976 and until now has been managed by Natural England. Holme Park Quarry Local Nature Reserve was created in 2000, after local residents succeeded in getting it officially designated.

The mainland area of Clawthorpe Fell can be visited at any time, and a footpath runs through the edge of it from Clawthorpe Road to Curwen Woods beyond. Please note that as the island lies entirely within the active quarry, there is no public access.

Holme Park Quarry Nature Reserve is open at all times and there is a series of permissive paths around the site and to the viewpoint. Parking is very limited here, with a layby for two cars only. You could visit as part of a longer walk from Burton-in-Kendal or other areas of Hutton Roof.

Click links below to find out about visiting our other limestone pavement nature reserves.