2020

SO8174 : Track in Gorse Covert near Birchen Coppice, Worcestershire

taken 4 years ago, near to Blakebrook, Worcestershire, England

Track in Gorse Covert near Birchen Coppice, Worcestershire
Track in Gorse Covert near Birchen Coppice, Worcestershire
This is looking south in Gorse Covert on the eastern side of the nature reserve. There are many tracks and footpaths on the two nature reserves here. As the site has developed, some historic public footpaths appear to vary from the positions and courses shown on maps, yet they are still there. This particular good track is quite close to the almost non-existent public one just fifty metres to the west.
The Devil's Spittleful and Rifle Range Nature Reserves :: SO8074

Adjacent to the West Midland Safari Park at Bewdley, and to the south-east, are these two continuous nature reserves, maintained by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and Wyre Forest District Council respectively.
The area contains a combination of lowland heath, grassland, scrub and some woodland. Three adjacent fields acquired from Blackstone Farm in 2007 are gradually being restored to heath status. Some public footpaths and bridleways do cross the reserves, but there are many more tracks open for exploration.
The Devil's Spittleful is a rocky sandstone knoll with a cave, and several mature Scots Pine trees.

Onsite information boards explain that it is one of the few areas of heathland remaining in Worcestershire and is at least 2500 years old. First created when man cleared the woodland cover, at its peak it is likely that a swathe of heathland stretched across north Worcestershire. Since then, agricultural expansion and building have reduced it to a few fragments.

The Rifle Range Nature Reserve has an area of approximately 43 hectares (106 acres) and is classed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its high quality lowland heath habitat, with some woodland. The area was used as a firing range during the 19th century. Remains of this can still be found in the form of concrete tracks, trenches (firing butts) and an old ammunition store. The reserve is maintained seamlessly with the adjacent Devil's Spittleful Nature Reserve.


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Roger D Kidd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Paths Woodland, Forest Heath, Scrub other tags: Track Nature Reserve Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
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SO8174, 57 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Roger D Kidd   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Thursday, 15 October, 2020   (more nearby)
Submitted
Thursday, 22 October, 2020
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SO 8130 7482 [10m precision]
WGS84: 52:22.2661N 2:16.5653W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SO 8129 7487
View Direction
South-southeast (about 157 degrees)
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Image Type (about): geograph 
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