Set in the heart of the Gordano Valley, Weston Moor
is a wild untamed place. A large and expansive area
of open moor, this reserve also includes three fields
situated along the limestone ridge west of Weston-in-Gordano.
Networked with species-rich rhynes, the wet grassland
is important for its breeding waders and rare plants.
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.
Access by car is currently difficult as parking is
restricted and approach to the reserve is hampered
by traffic on the B3124 being particularly fast moving
- please do not park and block any farm, field or private
home entrances. There is no public parking in Weston-in-Gordano.
Bus services to the Gordano Valley from major centres.
Please contact the Trust Office for up to date information.
Access
The birds are easily disturbed
and the rhynes and wet grassland areas potentially
treacherous. A limited number of annual permits for
the moorland area are available. Open access is restricted
to the fields north of Walton Brook, which give excellent
views over the moor.
Wildlife and conservation
Species-rich
rhynes, wet pasture and hay meadows. The fields and
rhynes are full of many rare plants such as cotton
grass, marsh pennywort, yellow sedge, lesser butterfly
orchid, frog-bit and fen pondweed along with nationally
scarce invertebrates such as the hairy dragonfly and
ruddy darter.
Thelong term management of the wet grassland areas
will include the maintenance of a high water table
to reverse the recent trends in field drainage and
to provide suitable habitat fo invertebrates, wading
birds and wildfowl. During the spring and summer the
fields on the moor attract breeding lapwing, redshank
and snipe. These timid waders find the waterlogged
conditions of the fields to their benefit because of
the readily available source of invertebrates.
Other birds such as little owl, linnet, reed bunting
and skylark also breed in the area. Sparrowhawk, buzzard
and green woodpecker are regularly recorded over the
reserve.
The fields to the north of the road are mostly species
poor, once being part of the wooded area that currently
cloaks the rest of the ridge. Returning some of these
fields to woodland will play an important part of the
future management of the site as well as sensitively
managing some areas for their calcareous grassland
interest which includes notable species such as bee
orchid and common rockrose.
Further information
This site was
purchased and managed through support from the Heritage
Lottery Fund, YANSEC, the Alan Evans Memorial Trust,
Countryside Commission and public donation. Part of
the site is leased to the Trust by North Somerset.
