Purn Hill is part of the western
Mendips, and has panoramic views across the Somerset
Levels to the Blackdowns and Quantocks.
What
to look out for
Purn Hill is home to three plants
that are nationally rare or threatened. These are honewort,
Somerset hair-grass and white rock rose, which is only
found at two sites in the UK - Brean Down being the
other one. Ladies bedstraw, dropwort, pale flax, yellow-wort
and carline thistle are also found here.
Purn Hill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
(SSSI) and much of the grassland on its slopes is of
national importance, found only on a few other sites
on the south facing slopes of the Mendips.
Further information
This site was purchased with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Hemmings
Waste Management (through landfill tax credits), and the Alan Evans Memorial
Trust.
Take the A370 and travel south from Weston-super-Mare. At the Hospital roundabout continue on the A370. Turn left on to Bleadon Hill immediately after the sharp left hand bend and follow the road for roughly 550m. Turn right onto Purn Lane. Follow the Lane until you see the sign for Southleigh Heights and park here. Walk down the Lane, and access to the reserve is on the left through a kissing gate with an AWT reserve sign on it.
Further
information
Reserves in this area
Look for...
Species video
Maps
Reserve map
National Cycle Network
Location details
Grid ref
ST 332 573
Area
6.1 hectares
Nearest postcode to reserve
BS24 0AL
(0.116 km from grid reference)
Ways into wildlife
Lower Woods is one of our
Top 10 nature reserves!
Download a
detailed walk for this reserve here (PDF).
