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)

Pickworth Road South Roadside Verge

Designated a Local Wildlife Site in 2006, Pickworth Road South verge includes both sides of the road, with the east side being 1.1 kilometers in length, and the west side 1.35 kilometers. The main habitat is calcareous grassland.

Pickworth Road Verge near The Grange

Designated a Local Wildlife Site in 2006, the road verge near The Grange in Pickworth stretches for 600 metres on the east side of the road and 520 metres on the west, and varies between 1 and 3 metres in width. The main habitat is mesotrophic grassland.

Piggys Hollow, Evington

Evington’s moated site, known locally as Piggy's Hollow, is a substantial earthwork including a former moat and fishponds, lying on the southern edge of the village of Evington, immediately to the west of the parish church, St. Denys. It is the site of a moated manor house that was built by the Grey family of Codnor, Derbyshire, in the 13th century. It also adjoins the northwestern portion of Shady Lane Arboretum, and is an enclosed space with tall wild hedgerows, and mature stands of pines.

Pilton Churchyard

Pilton is a tiny hamlet set between Rutland Water (to the north) and the A47 (to the south), and is sited on high ground rising to 315ft. The oldest parts of the rubble and slate church date from the 13th century, but the church is usually locked. The small, pretty churchyard is elevated off the road, and contains a small variety of tree species (including Cedar (Cedrus libani) and Yew (Taxus bacatta).

Piper Wood, Shepshed

This very attractive wood is dominated by Oak and Ash and has a wonderful show of spring flowers. It holds a few very old Oak trees with great character.

The ground flora is rich and diverse and many of the species are ancient woodland indicators.

Plungar Barkestone Lane verge

This verge is being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council verges biodiversity trial. It was surveyed in 2021 by NatureSpot volunteers but we would welcome additional wildlife records from the community, whether plants, animals or fungi.

Pochins Bridge, South Wigston

Pochin’s Bridge is a natural greenspace adjacent to a new housing development in South Wigston, situated to the north of the Grand Union Canal. It contains areas of young broadleaved plantation woodland and open grassland, adjacent to areas of woodland and scrub owned by Leicestershire County Council. 

Preston Churchyard

The small village of Preston is intersected by Uppingham Road/A6003, and is 2 miles north of Uppingham. St Peter and St Paul Church stands in the west of the village. The earliest sections of the church date from around 1150, and the church contains some middle-eastern influence and artifacts. Interestingly, the Cypress trees (Cupressus sempervirens) in the churchyard were grown from seed collected from the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem.

Preston Village Pond

The village pond in Preston, Rutland, lies along the busy A6003 between Uppingham and Oakham. It is believed to be fed by a natural spring with an overflow pipe running beneath the road. The surrounding trees overhanging the pond have grown to reduce the light reaching the pond and are adding leaf litter which has resulted in the pond partially silting up. The parish council is intending to carry out a full refurbishment in 2019 in order to restore the pond, both as a wildlife habitat and as an attractive amenity for local people.

Prestwold Natural Burial Ground

Woodland and hedges border the burial ground, and a meadow of primrose, cowslips and oxeye daisy has been sown and hundreds of native trees planted. Additional trees are being planted as more graves are used, to eventually create wildlife-rich woodland with flowery glades.

Priors Coppice
Priors Coppice is owned by Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, covers 29 ha and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Priory Water

This nature reserve has been developed and is managed by the Leicestershire Wildfowlers Association. Most of the reserve is private (though permits can be purchased) but a public right of way runs through the site. It is a large area covering around 200 acres and comprises rough grassland, scrub and created wildflower meadows surrounding two central lakes. It is a very rich site for both birds and insects and one of the best areas for dragonflies in the two counties.

Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Wood

This site was created in 2012 by the Woodland Trust. It covers 186 hectares (460 acres) and is the centre-piece of a wide-ranging Jubilee Project carried out by The Woodland Trust to mark the 2012 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The site incorporates a former opencast coal mine which now has a newly created lake, as well as former arable land and 7 hectares (17 acres) of existing ancient woodland and old hedgerows.

Quorn St Bartholomew's Church

St. Bartholomew's Church originates from the 12th to 14th century and is grade 1 listed. It is surrounded by a sizeable churchyard, parts of which are being managed for wildlife. An area on the south side, facing Loughborough Road, is Church View Gardens, a lovely public open space which fuses traditional garden plants with native wildflowers and grasses.

Quorn, Barrow Rd verge

This verge lies along the eastern side of Church Causeway backing onto the playing fields of Rawlins College. It is between 1 and 2 metres wide and backed by a mature hedge which includes Elm and Elder.

Quorn, Loughboro' Road 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.

Quorn, Northage 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 was surveyed in June by NatureSpot but we would welcome any wildlife records from the community, whether plants, animals or fungi.

Quorn, Wood Lane 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.

Rally Park, Leicester

Rally Park is an open space of about 3.75 hectares and is close to both the Old River Soar and the Leicester Branch of the Grand Union Canal.  Its shape is still defined by the former railway line and sidings.

Ransom Field, Braunstone Town

This is a large field owned by Jelsons Ltd but they were not allowed to develop it despite showing it as a new housing site in the late 1950’s early 60’s. The name is derived from the locals belief in the 1970’s that any purchaser, i.e. the Local Authority, would have to pay as if the land had had houses built on it!