Reserves

Brown's Folly

Grid ref:794 660 / Area: 38.5 hectares

Standing high above the river Avon, with commanding views towards Bath, Brown's Folly boasts rich grasslands, woodlands and scrub, which carpet the remains of the old Bath stone quarries.

How to get there
We encourage visitors to use environmentally friendly forms of transport wherever possible. Most of our reserves are easily accessible by bicycle, with many close to the National Cycle Network. Click here to view a location map of the reserve on the National Cycle Network website.

Alternatively, take the minor road from Bathford to Kingsdown, taking a steep right-hand turn to Monkton Farleigh. Car park is near the brow of the hill on Prospect Place.

Access
Some paths are muddy in winter. Take extreme caution when approaching rock faces. There is currently no access to the mines.

Wildlife and conservation
The extensive remains of Bath stone quarries provide a rich variety of wildlife habitats. A delightful downland flora has covered the spoilheaps where wild thyme, harebell and nine species of orchid - including the rare fly orchid - are found. The old mines offer a safe sanctuary for the threatened greater horseshoe bat, while damp cliff faces support a fascinating variety of ferns, fungi and spiders. Secondary woodland of ash with sycamore has grown up over the downland which once cloaked the hillside. Pockets of ancient woodland on the lower slopes are home to woodpeckers, and unusual plants such as Bath asparagus.

To encourage the growth and spread of native trees, planted conifers have been removed. Invading scrub which threatens to shade out the grassland is being cleared.

Other points of interest
The Bath stone quarries show good geological features and are a valuable insight into the area's industrial past.