Reserves

Goblin Combe

Grid ref: 475 653 / Area: 9.0 hectares

In this peaceful out-of-the-way reserve, the sunny, airy, grasslands above contrast strongly with the dark, eerie Combe below. Heath and grassland plants attract many beautiful butterflies to this spot with a magical view.

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, at Cleeve on the A370 Bristol-Weston road, turn into Cleeve Hill Road. Park in the quarry on left side near Cleeve School. Follow the footpath through the Combe to reserve.

Access
Footpaths along floor of Combe can be very muddy and slippery. Exercise caution and do not approach cliffs and scree slopes.

Wildlife and conservation
This quiet reserve is well worth the climb from the Combe to the top of the limestone ridge. The Combe itself is wooded and damp, and the home of the rare and unusual moonwort fern. Look out for it growing under old yew trees.

The reserve is a gorge cut into the limestone by melting snow and ice when the ground was frozen. Water easily drains through the unfrozen limestone, so today the valley is dry. It contains patches of both limestone grassland and heath. The grassland is best seen in late summer, when it is dotted with flowers such as autumn gentian, autumn lady's tresses and yellow-wort. The heath is most colourful during high summer, when the bell heather comes into flower.

The site is superb for butterflies, with over 30 species recorded. These include grizzled and dingy skippers, brown argus and green hairstreak, to name but a few.

The Trust is trying to encourage rabbits, so that they will nibble down any larger plants that grow. Large shrubby plants are also cleared by hand to keep the grasslands and heath open to sunlight.

Further information
Goblin Combe is privately owned and managed under licence by the Trust. It is linked by public footpaths to Brockley Combe.