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)

Shady Lane Arboretum

The arboretum was established in 1970 by Leicester City Council. The area covers 10.5 hectares and is open to the public. Between 1970 and 1973 over 500 tree specimens were planted, mostly in taxonomic family groups. Memorial trees continue to be planted on the site. The site is bisected by the Evington Brook and St. Denys Church borders the northern boundary. Piggy's Hollow, the site of a demolished manor house, adjoins the Areboretum in the north east corner.

Shawell Bullaces 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 June 2021 by NatureSpot volunteers but we would welcome additional wildlife records from the community, whether plants, animals or fungi.

Shawell Catthorpe Road 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.

Shawell Main Street north verge

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

Shawell Main Street south verge

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

Sheepy Magna Twycross Rd 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.

Sheet Hedges Wood

The main woodland comprises one of the best remaining examples of ash and alder woodland in Leicestershire, and is representative of ancient woodland developed on clay soils in Central and Eastern England. This area is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Younger woodland lies on the western edge and the large field between has now been planted as a new woodland to join the two areas.

Shenton Station and Cutting

To the east of Shenton village lies Shenton Railway Station , with an open access cutting beside the railway line. The cutting is approximately 700 metres (1 mile) in length, from the station to the canal bridge, and about 70 metres wide at its widest point.

Shepshed, Morley Quarry

Morley Quarry is a 3 hectare Local Nature Reserve (LNR) and a Regionally Important Geological Site (RIGS) on the southern side of Shepshed.

The site is a disused quarry home with exposed rock faces which were formed 600 million years ago.

There is a short, but at times steep, circular walk over the top of the quarry and there is also a small pond which is a breeding site for the Common Toad.

There are a number of information boards situated across the site to provide visitors with information about the age of the rocks, wild flowers and toads.

Shepshed, White Horse Wood
White Horse Wood is an old woodland site and appears with the same boundary line on the 1883 OS map. It has many mature trees and a beautiful display of bluebells in the Spring. There are some areas of the wood where felling has taken place and encroaching sycamore has sprung up. Open fields give pleasant views on the northern edge although an industrial estate sits close to the eastern edge. Paths can be very boggy at times.
A large new housing estate is being built on the western edge of the wood.
Shipley's Common Road Verge

Shipley's Common is located on Braunston Road, between Brooke and Braunston. Designated a Local Wildlife Site in 2003, the verge is over 200m metres and is comprised mostly of mesotrophic and wet grassland, although a number of woodland species are present along the strip adjacent to the hedgerow. The most species-rich portion is the widest middle section. Towards Braunston the verge narrows and becomes increasing shaded by trees and dominated by tall, rank species, and the diversity also decreases towards the Leighfield end of the verge.

Short Heath

This small site is owned by the National Forest Company and has recently been planted with young trees to create a new woodland patch within the Heart of the National Forest.

Sileby, Barrow Rd verge

This verge being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council Verges Biodiversity Project. By allowing the grasses and wildflowers to grow and managing the verge as a wildflower meadow it will support a much greater variety of wildlife species.

Sileby, Cossington Rd verge

This verge being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council Verges Biodiversity Project. By allowing the grasses and wildflowers to grow and managing the verge as a wildflower meadow it will support a much greater variety of wildlife species.

Sileby, Seagrave Rd verge

This verge being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council Verges Biodiversity Project. By allowing the grasses and wildflowers to grow and managing the verge as a wildflower meadow it will support a much greater variety of wildlife species.

Six Hills, 20 Acre Piece

This site at Six Hills is owned by the Duke of Somerset and is part of a large area of common land known as Burton Common. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and was, until 2010, managed as a reserve by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust. A public footpath runs through the middle of the site. It has a mosaic of grassland, scrub and woodland - standing on poorly drained acid soil.

Skeffington Wood
Skeffington Wood is part of the larger Leighfield Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest and consists of broadleaved mixed woodland.
Sketchley Brook, Hinckley

This site was established as protected green open space as part of a planning condition attached to a housing development. The work included reinstating a more natural channel for the brook which was previously culverted. The development also created grassland and some wetland by the canal.

Smeeton Westerby, Gumley Rd verge

This verge being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council Verges Biodiversity Project. By allowing the grasses and wildflowers to grow and managing the verge as a wildflower meadow it will support a much greater variety of wildlife species.

Smeeton Westerby, Pit Hill verge

This verge being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council Verges Biodiversity Project. By allowing the grasses and wildflowers to grow and managing the verge as a wildflower meadow it will support a much greater variety of wildlife species.