Langdyke’s first walk of this year to the unique Bainton Heath reserve sold out almost immediately – so the events team has laid on a second chance to visit.
It will take place on Sunday, February 20. Places are limited so if you want to go to the reserve – which is not normally open to the public- then please book as soon as possible using Eventbrite here
Langdyke and the National Grid are working together near the village of Bainton to manage the twenty acre site owned by National Grid.
The site was a former tip for waste fly ash from power stations in the north of England, but has since been colonised by a fascinating variety of flowers, mosses, lichens, insects and birds and is now one of the best sites in the region of hear the song of the nightingale. It also hosts strong breeding populations of summer migrants, including chiffchaff, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, and willow, sedge, reed and grasshopper warblers. Cuckoos call from the trees and hobbies hunt overhead.
Bainton Heath also has a strong and varied population of dragonflies, butterflies, beetles and other insects, including several locally and nationally scarce species.
Because of the unique nature of the site, many species of moss and lichen are in fact not natural to Cambridgeshire at all – but are more northerly species! The area also contains a small wood and a large pond.
The lease for the site has recently been renewed. More details here
Meeting place is Bainton Church at 1:30pm. Please wrap up warm, bring your wellies/walking boots and don’t forget your binoculars!
Please be aware that this is a moderate/challenging walk of 3 hours on uneven ground.