Mansfield & Ashfield Local Members Group - Notts Wildlife Trust

MEDEN TRAIL LNR (SK501 650).

This Local Nature reserve is owned by Mansfield District Council but is on long term lease to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and is managed by the committee that has overall responsibility for the Pleasley Trails network. The site is roughly 1.25 miles in length and covers an area of 20.75 acres.

A disused railway runs through the site and has been resurfaced with acidic ash so the flora in this area is variable. The train line passes over and through the magnesium limestone.

The reserve has a section designated by English Nature as a SSSI with some of the best examples of calcareous grassland left in the county, containing wild basil, Greater Burnet Saxifrage and Nettled-leafed Bellflower. The LNR also holds a varied population of invertebrates including all the common butterfly species.

The LNR also holds a fine example of calcareous woodland, dominated by Ash and Elm with the associated under-storey scrub consists mainly of hazel. The woodland floor supports many ancient woodland indicators such as Yellow Archangel, Sweet Woodruff and Dog’s Mercury. Bird species recorded include all three British breeding species of woodpecker, Tawny Owl, and Hawfinch with Grey Wagtail nesting on the river Meden that flows through the valley.

The geology of the site is of particular interest, with a number of limestone crags and fissures which are of considerable geological and palaeontological importance. The magnesium limestone has been used to build dry stone walls (which are an unusual feature for Nottinghamshire) and the large and now derelict mill.

The well-maintained and flat footpaths, which form a circular route from the main car park, provide ease of access for the disabled.