Croft Hill
Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Location | Leicestershire |
---|---|
Grid reference | SP 509 966[1] |
Interest | Biological |
Area | 2.0 hectares[1] |
Notification | 1994[1] |
Location map | Magic Map |
Croft Hill is a 128m high natural hill rising up the Soar flood-plain north of Croft&quarry in Leicestershire, England. It stands out as an isolated landmark, and has been used as a meeting place for centuries.[2]
The hill is a 2-hectare (4.9-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest,[1][3] overlooking the deep quarry and provides a number of habitats including broad leaved woodland, scrub land, acidic grassland and two other distinct areas of grassland. It is an important area in view of the variety of flora, fauna, birds and butterflies which inhabit or visit at various times of the year.[4]
This site has short, tussocky grass in an open habitat, a nationally rare vegetation type. The granitic soil is thin and short of nutrients. The nationally scarce upright chickweed is abundant in some areas.[5]
There is access to the site from Croft Hill Road, between the villages of Huncote and Croft, although there is no car park.
The area also consists of a smaller tailings hill east of the quarry, both hills can be reached by foot. Adjacent to the small hill is a nature reserve with an enclosed lake, where visitors can stand on a wooden deck over the water. The lake has a collection of reeds and other natural flora.
References
- ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Croft Hill". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ Hoskins, W. G. (1963). "Croft Hill". Provincial England: Essays in Social and Economic History. Palgrave Macmillan UK. pp. 170–180. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-00466-9_9.
- ^ "Map of Croft Hill". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ "Croft Hill | NatureSpot". www.naturespot.org.uk.
- ^ "Croft Hill citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
52°33′50″N 1°15′00″W / 52.564°N 1.25°W / 52.564; -1.25
- v
- t
- e
- Allexton Wood
- Ashby Canal
- Bardon Hill
- Barrow Gravel Pits
- Beacon Hill, Hangingstone and Outwoods
- Benscliffe Wood
- Blackbrook Reservoir
- Botcheston Bog
- Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir
- Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry
- Breedon Hill
- Briery Wood Heronry, Belvoir
- Buddon Wood and Swithland Reservoir
- Burbage Wood and Aston Firs
- Cave's Inn Pits
- Charnwood Lodge
- Chater Valley
- Coalville Meadows
- Cotes Grassland
- Cribb's Lodge Meadows
- Croft Hill
- Croft Pasture
- Croxton Park
- Debdale Meadow, Muston
- Dimminsdale
- Donington Park
- Eye Brook Reservoir
- Eye Brook Valley Woods
- Frisby Marsh
- Grace Dieu and High Sharpley
- Grantham Canal
- Great Bowden Borrowpit
- Groby Pool and Woods
- Harby Hill Wood
- Holly Rock Fields
- Holwell Mouth
- Kendall's Meadow
- Kilby - Foxton Canal
- King Lud's Entrenchments and The Drift
- Launde Big Wood
- Leighfield Forest
- Lockington Marshes
- Loughborough Meadows
- Lount Meadows
- Misterton Marshes
- Muston Meadows
- Narborough Bog
- Newton Burgoland Marshes
- Oakley Wood
- Owston Woods
- Pasture and Asplin Woods
- River Eye
- River Mease
- Roecliffe Manor Lawns
- Saddington Reservoir
- Sheepy Fields
- Sheet Hedges Wood
- Stanford Park
- Stonesby Quarry
- Swithland Wood and The Brand
- Terrace Hills Pasture
- Twenty Acre Piece
- Ulverscroft Valley
- Wymondham Rough
- Bardon Hill Quarry
- Beacon Hill, Hangingstone and Outwoods
- Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir
- Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry
- Buddon Wood and Swithland Reservoir
- Charnwood Lodge
- Cliffe Hill Quarry
- Croft and Huncote Quarry
- Dimminsdale
- Enderby Warren Quarry
- Gipsy Lane Pit
- Grace Dieu and High Sharpley
- Ives Head
- Main Quarry, Mountsorrel
- Newhurst Quarry
- One Barrow Plantation
- Shepshed Cutting
- Sproxton Quarry
- Tilton Cutting