About the reserve

Wildlife Highlights

Holme Park Quarry Nature Reserve is a small but important part of the limestone landscape that occupies much of the land from Farleton Knott in the north, to Lancelot Clarke Storth and Plain Quarry in the south, and to Hutton Roof in the east.

There is much to see, from open areas full of limestone-living flowers, to patches of scrub and bracken and old forested pavement.

A viewpoint reveals the dramatic island of rock in the middle of the working quarry exposing the geology of the local area.

The open, scrubby grassland and dense woodland means that lots of special species call this place home, from butterflies such as small heath and grayling to birds including willow warbler and woodcock.

From the viewpoint, millions of years of geology are revealed on the island which rises from the quarry floor at the neighbouring Cumbria Wildlife Trust nature reserve at Clawthorpe Fell.

In spring and summer - look out for peregrine falcons over the quarry. They use the sheer cliffs for nesting spots.

In summer - you may be lucky enough to spot common lizards and grass snakes sunning themselves on the open patches of rock in the middle of the reserve.

Recent history

Holme Park Quarry is owned by Aggregate Industries and has been managed by Cumbria Wildlife Trust since 2021.

Why not make a day of it?

Visit Clawthorpe Fell and Hutton Roof Crags - both can be visited independently or on a longer walk using public footpaths.

Getting here

By car:

From the A6070 from Burton-in-Kendal, turn onto Clawthorpe Road at Clawthorpe Hall Business Centre. Continue on this road for 0.9 km/0.5 miles. There is a small layby on the left-hand side, after the houses. Parking is extremely limited.

By bicycle:

The nature reserve is 5 km/2.5 miles from Regional Route 90.

By public transport:

Buses run along the A6070 as part of the 555 service between Kendal and Lancaster.