About the reserve

The chief interest of this grassland reserve lies in its potential as an otter refuge, together with the four main habitats found here: the river itself rich in invertebrates; the tree-lined river bank; the flood-plain with its mixture of damp-loving plants such as tansy and hemlock; and the mixed deciduous woodland on the steep bank frequented by woodland birds. The path leading from the reserve entrance partly follows the remains of an old horse-drawn tramway from Hay-on-Wye, constructed about 1818 as an embankment along the eastern edge of the common.  

Slow-worms, grass-snake, toads and small mammals have been recorded on the reserve in recent years and a range of butterflies such as comma, common blue, meadow browns and speckled wood will frequent the warm, open glades in the summer, feeding on bramble and angelica.