Brown's Folly

Features from Wildlife magazine Wildlife articles 2008 -- Spring 2008 -- ::Severn Barrage ::The Variety of life ::A year at Willsbridge ::Willsbridge comes of age ::Reaching out - Willsbridge ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2007 -- Autumn 2007 -- ::Thinking BIG ::Watery webs:the pond network ::Wildlife in the landscape ::Variety of life ::How to be a climate friend ::Seasonal stroll - Walborough ::Round the reserves -- Summer 2007 -- ::The Folly Farm appeal ::Weston Big Wood-biodiversity at its best ::The variety of life ::How to capture a butterfly ::How to get to know an orchid ::Seasonal stroll - WestonBigWood ::Reserves update -- Spring 2007 -- ::Folly Farm - a very special place ::Making a difference at Folly Farm ::How find the magic at Folly Farm ::Seasonal stroll at Folly Farm ::Magic spots at Folly Farm ::Batscapes ::Climate challenge ::Variety of Life - the Ponways project ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2006 -- Autumn 2006 -- ::The Severn Estuary ::Bird Watch results ::How to identify garden birds ::Making space for wildlife ::How does your garden grow? ::Round the reserves -- Summer 2006 -- ::Going for green ::Stand up and be counted ::Happy birthday NSLMP ::Holi day - a riot of spring colour ::Avon's species-rich grassland ::How to photograph dragonflies ::The Big Switch ::Round the reserves -- Spring 2006 -- ::How to identify winter water birds ::Make 2006 the year you... ::Invasive invasion ::Sowing the seeds: Willsbridge Mill ::Round the reserves Wildlife articles 2005 -- Autumn 2005 -- ::Indentify common funghi ::Build a hedgehog hideaway ::Big Bird Watch ::Champions for wildlife ::Round the reserves ::Seeds of the futre: Willsbridge Mill -- Summer 2005 -- ::Restoring Folly Farm ::How to become bee-friendly ::How to identify the butterflies of spring ::Save our seas ::The variety of life: hedgerows ::Round the reserves ::25 Ways to make a difference -- Spring 2005 -- ::The variety of life: water voles ::The Avon Biodiversity Action Plan ::How to take really good wildlife photos ::How to help your garden grow ::Round the reserves ::Seasonal strolls: Browns Folly ::Sowing the seeds: for wildlife for people ::Sowing the seeds: looking back

Seasonal strolls

Brown's Folly

For more details on this reserve including directions and access details click here

Brown's Folly is perched high on the skyline above Bath, and the main entrance is found off Prospect Place in Bathford (OS grid reference ST797664). From here, paths lead you through the wood, and the new way-marked route called the Pepperpot Trail starts at this point.

Following the path from the car park, follow the track north, along a route known locally as Fluester's Road. It was built in the 1860's by a local quarry master to cart loads of stone from the mines to the river for local distribution. Today this track plays an important part in enabling the extraction of timber from woodland management, and also provides a level pedestrian route into the heart of the reserve.

To the right you will see an area of coppice where many woodland plants can be seen in the spring. During June common twayblade orchid is found here and white heleborine can be seen in a few places in July. You may see evidence of the hard work of the volunteer wardens who have removed the alien turkey oak from this area keeping it as native woodland. The ride widens at the point where a public footpath joins it from the right. The trackside trees have been felled here to create a wide ride, giving a better opportunity to breeding birds, feeding invertebrates and foraging bats to use this area. This year spotted flycatchers bred along this ride exploiting the habitat to see and catch their airborne insect prey. In places the felled trees and branches have been left to rot to produce a dead wood habitat.

On your left, hidden behind a ribbon of trees, lies one of the largest rock exposures on the site. These rocks were originally formed in a warm sub-tropical sea during the Jurassic period some 170 million years ago. They form the oolitic limestone widespread throughout the Cotswolds but known locally as Bath Stone. The quarries throughout the reserve closed during the 1930's and now provide excellent conditions for roosting bats and are home to the greater horseshoe bat, one of the rarest mammals in the UK. The Trust works closely with the Bath Geological Society to keep these exposures within sensitive management.

At the end of the ride clearance the path splits. Take the left-hand path up on to the grassland. A new fence has recently been erected here so access on foot is now through a new metal kissing gate. In months to come this area will be grazed so if you have a dog you are requested to keep it on a lead at this point. Follow the path up through the grassland which is full of common spotted orchids, salad-burnet and wild thyme in summer. You pass another rock exposure and continue up to another kissing gate. Do not go through this gate but turn sharp left, almost doubling back on yourself and up onto the grassy ridge.

Here sensitive scrub clearance has restored the species-rich grassland and late autumn/winter grazing will further enhance this area's interest. There are spectacular views of the city of Bath from this area. Behind you, high on the ridge, is the Folly, which is now owned by The Folly Fellowship.

Follow the path back out of the grassland through another metal kissing gate and into the woodland. After a few ups and downs this mainly level path not only leads you back to the car park but also takes you past a number of grilled-off caves, restricting access to bats only! Evidence of past quarry works can also be seen with the presence of old spoil mounds and further rock exposures.

Further information about this reserve can be found from the interpretation boards on the site.