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15. Folly Farm

Grid ref: 610 603 / Area: 101 hectares

Wildflower meadows and woodland surround the Folly Farm Centre at the heart of Folly Farm, a 250-acre nature reserve between Bath and Bristol which offers spectacular views over Chew Valley Lake and the Mendips.

How to get there

Click here for an online location map (Google Maps website). 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.

If you are driving :
Travelling southwards from Bristol on the A37 travel through Pensford. At the Chelwood roundabout turn right onto the A368 towards Bishop Sutton. After about 2 miles go past the turning to Chew Magna and take the next small turning on your left very shortly after, just before reaching Stowey.

Or travel by bus from Bristol to Bishop Sutton (nos 673, 674, 675) or to Clutton no 376.

Wildlife and conservation

The meadows are of a type now rare in Britain. Unspoilt by pesticides and fertilisers, in summer they are brimming with flowers such as betony, ox-eye daisy and heath spotted orchid. In late summer, they are covered with drifts of black knapweed and devil's-bit scabious.

Many butterflies can be seen throughout the summer, including ringlet, small tortoiseshell, gatekeeper and marbled white. The rare marsh fritillary has also been found there, flying in early summer.

Of the two woodlands, Dowlings Wood is largely ancient, being an old hazel coppice. The woodland floor is extremely rich in springtime flowers, such as primrose, bluebell and early purple orchid.

Amongst the many birds that can be seen are nuthatch, buzzard and great spotted woodpecker. Tawny owls also nest and roost on the farm.

Most of the fields are grazed by sheep. The SSSI is lightly grazed in the autumn by cattle to favour marsh fritillaries and other wildlife. The woods are selectively thinned and coppiced.

Further information

Dogs on leads are welcome on all our reserves EXCEPT Folly Farm which is a working farm.

The Folly Farm Centre is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trust and will gift aid surplus profits to the Trust.

The wildflower meadows and Dowlings Wood are an SSSI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Further information
Reserves in this area
Reserve map

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Ways into Wildlife

Folly Farm is one of our Top 10 nature reserves!

Download a detailed walk for this reserve here (PDF format).

Download the full Top 10 Reserves Guide (PDF format).

Cycle Network map

View a location map of the reserve on the National Cycle Network website or Google Maps