Wild places

NatureSpot features over 500 sites across Leicestershire and Rutland as Wild Places. These showcase many of the best places to see wildlife in our area. Each Wild Place page displays the records and images submitted for that location - which update automatically as additional records are received. A full species list for each site is also available.

Private Wild Places

By arrangement, we can set up Wild Place feature pages for private gardens, grounds, farms, estates and other areas without public access. These work just as any other Wild Place page except they are not included in the menus and maps and are only viewable using the private URL provided. We ask for a donation for setting up a private Wild Place - the amount is up to you! Get in touch if you are interested by emailing info@naturespot.org

New Wild Places?

If you know of a site with wildlife interest that could be featured as a Wild Place page then let us know. Wild Places should meet the following criteria:

  • must either be entirely in public access (such as a Country Park), or have a public right of way (PROW) through them or adjacent to them from which the site can be viewed OR the landowner has given consent for the land to become a Wild Place. (A PROW as defined by the Highways Authority: in Leicestershire; in Rutland). 
  • must consist largely of existing habitats of significance to wildlife - e.g. woodland, wetland, watercourse, heathland, open mosaic habitats, unimproved/semi-improved or species-rich grassland, parkland, orchard, scrubland.  Sites which consist mainly of arable and cultivated land or just improved grassland are not suitable as Wild Places. (See Leicestershire's Biodiversity Action Plan and the Leicestershire and Rutland Local Nature Recovery Strategy).

Please note that NatureSpot's designation of a site as a Wild Place does not confer any legal or protected status to the land, and has no weight within the planning system. Neither does it confer any additional public rights of use or access to the land.

Explore Wild Places

To explore the Wild Places of Leicestershire and Rutland:

  • zoom into the map and click on any site to show its details below
  • use the filters below to find sites in your district or parish
  • type any part of the site name to search for a particular site

Just click on APPLY when you have entered your selection. Alternatively you can browse the full list below.

Key: Wild Places (outlined in orange); Public Rights of Way (green); county boundaries (blue), parish boundaries (lilac)

Grimston, Shoby Lane verge

This verge lies to the south of Grimston village along the quiet Shoby Lane. It is being managed by the parish council supported by local residents.

Groby Pool

Groby Pool is situated on the southern edge of the Charnwood Forest and is reputedly the largest natural expanse of open water in Leicestershire, covering 38 acres (15 ha). There was no mention of a lake in the Domesday Book, though it has been referred to since 1297. Research into the Lake sediments has confirmed that Groby Pool is of relatively recent origin. It may have resulted from the damming of Slate Brook in the 12th/13th century by the monks from Leicester abbey.

Groby, Barn Hill Quarry

This disused quarry is one of three situated on the Barn Hills which lie on the northern edge of Groby village. The quarries were worked between 1938 and 1940 when they were abandoned because of the poor quality of granite found there.

Groby, Black Spinney Quarry

This disused quarry is one of three situated on the Barn Hills which lie on the northern edge of Groby village. The quarries were worked between 1938 and 1940 when they were abandoned because of the poor quality of granite found there.

The footpath giving access to the bottom of the sites was the original road from Groby to Newtown Linford. In 1796 it was replaced by the current road.

Groby, Community Meadow and Dowry Furlong

Groby Community Meadow

The 4-acre meadow, adjacent to Newtown Linford Lane, was purchased in 2011 by a consortium, made up of residents that bought shares at £200 each and Groby Parish Council.  A Community Interest Company (CIC) was set up that now owns the land and aims to:

Groby, Cowpen Spinney

This 1.5 hectare wood  lies adjacent to the disused Groby Granite Railway line at the southern edge of the village.  Up to the middle of the 20th century, local villagers would have been employed in either quarrying or farming. The 1980s estate surrounding the spinney was built on farmland and the name of this woodland tells of the previous use of the area.

Edith Hesselgreaves in her 1973 paper 'Flora of Groby Parish' records the following species found in the wood :-

Groby, Granite Railway 1832

Robert Stephenson was engaged by the Earl of Stamford to engineer a railway line to carry granite from the Earl's quarry in Groby village. Groby Granite Railway opened in 1832 to connect with the Leicester & Swannington Railway near to Ratby. Wagons loaded with granite were transferred onto the L&SR for transport to Leicester West Bridge wharf and onwards by barges on the Old Grand Union Canal.

Groby, Granite Railway extension
Groby, Highway Close verge

This verge is now being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council Verges Biodiversity Project. Mowing will cease between April and August to allow the grasses and wildflowers to grow and bloom. In some cases, verges may also have additional native wildflower species added, either as seed or as plug plants.

The verge will be surveyed in June by NatureSpot but we would welcome any wildlife records from the community, whether plants, animals or fungi.

Groby, Lady Hay Wood

Lady Hay Wood has an area of roughly 8 hectares and  lies close to the western edge of Groby Pool SSSI. It is well known locally for its show of Bluebells in the spring.

Edith Hesselgreaves in her 1973 paper 'A Flora of Groby Parish' recorded the following species ;-

Groby, Martinshaw Woods to A50

This footpath is part of the National Forest Way and connects Ratby to Newtown Linford.

It is a wildlife corridor from Martinshaw Woods to Groby Pool and Lady Hay Wood interrupted by the busy A50. 

Groby, Ratby Road Verge

This verge is now being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council verges biodiversity trial. It will be surveyed in later in the year by NatureSpot volunteers but we would welcome additional wildlife records from the community, whether plants, animals or fungi.

Groby, White Gates Quarry

This disused quarry is one of three situated on the Barn Hills which lie on the northern edge of Groby village. The quarries were worked between 1938 and 1940 when they were abandoned because of the poor quality of granite found there.

The footpath giving access to the bottom of the sites was the original road from Groby to Newtown Linford. In 1796 it was replaced by the current road.

GU Canal, Bosworth Tunnel to County boundary

This stretch of the canal runs south from Bosworth Tunnel to the county boundary. Just before the boundary, the Welford Arm of the canal branches off.

GU Canal, Bunkers Hill to Mill Hill

The main route of the Grand Union Canal, built between 1793 and 1814, is from London to Birmingham but it has several 'arms' including that which runs to Leicester and beyond into Nottinghamshire. This is a navigable route and has a public footpath (towpath) along the full length. As with most canals, the shallow water (typically around 1.2m) and shallower edges provides good habitat for emergent aquatic vegetation, which in turn supports a wide range of invertebrates.

GU Canal, Foxton Locks to Bunkers Hill

The main route of the Grand Union Canal, built between 1793 and 1814, is from London to Birmingham but it has several 'arms' including that which runs to Leicester and beyond into Nottinghamshire. This is a navigable route and has a public footpath (towpath) along the full length. As with most canals, the shallow water (typically around 1.2m) and shallower edges provides good habitat for emergent aquatic vegetation, which in turn supports a wide range of invertebrates.

GU Canal, Gumley Rd to Foxton Locks

The main route of the Grand Union Canal, built between 1793 and 1814, is from London to Birmingham but it has several 'arms' including that which runs to Leicester and beyond into Nottinghamshire. This is a navigable route and has a public footpath (towpath) along the full length. As with most canals, the shallow water (typically around 1.2m) and shallower edges provides good habitat for emergent aquatic vegetation, which in turn supports a wide range of invertebrates.

GU Canal, Harb Arm, Foxton to Harb Rd

The main route of the Grand Union Canal, built between 1793 and 1814, is from London to Birmingham but it has several 'arms' including that which runs to Leicester and beyond into Nottinghamshire. This is a navigable route and has a public footpath (towpath) along the full length. As with most canals, the shallow water (typically around 1.2m) and shallower edges provides good habitat for emergent aquatic vegetation, which in turn supports a wide range of invertebrates.

This short spur of canal splits from the Leicester arm at Foxton locks and extends into Market Harborough.

GU Canal, Harb Arm, Harb Rd to end

The main route of the Grand Union Canal, built between 1793 and 1814, is from London to Birmingham but it has several 'arms' including that which runs to Leicester and beyond into Nottinghamshire. This is a navigable route and has a public footpath (towpath) along the full length. As with most canals, the shallow water (typically around 1.2m) and shallower edges provides good habitat for emergent aquatic vegetation, which in turn supports a wide range of invertebrates.

GU Canal, Kilby Bridge to Wistow Rd

The main route of the Grand Union Canal, built between 1793 and 1814, is from London to Birmingham but it has several 'arms' including that which runs to Leicester and beyond into Nottinghamshire. This is a navigable route and has a public footpath (towpath) along the full length. As with most canals, the shallow water (typically around 1.2m) and shallower edges provides good habitat for emergent aquatic vegetation, which in turn supports a wide range of invertebrates.