The Nunckley Nature Trail

This half mile long, wood-chipped circular trail is accessed via a foot crossing alongside the Nunckley Hill station platform.  It winds its way through Oak, Ash, Hazel and Hawthorn woodland. Early Spring flowers include English Bluebell, Cowslip, Snowdrop and Forget-me-not. More flowers follow on such as Red Campion, Foxglove, Ramsons, Garlic Mustard, Ox-eye Daisy and native Ferns.  Butterflies include Speckled Wood, Purple Hairstreak, Brimstone, Meadow Brown, Skippers, Comma, Ringlet, Gatekeeper, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral. A great variety of fungi can also be found around the trail.  Badgers, Grey Squirrels, Foxes, Wood Mice, Moles, Voles, Toads are all present along with many species of insects.

The Nunckley Spinney Trail

This Trail is quite different to the Nature Trail in that the tall trees here were planted after many of the original trees were cleared, probably in the early to mid-1900’s. These Oak, Ash and Larch, dotted with Silver Birch, were probably planted for timber. Here the path has been extended to climb to the back of the old quarry face giving visitors a great view over the site. Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers can be seen and heard here regularly.  The woodland floor is awash with masses of English Bluebells in Spring.  Badger, Muntjac, Rabbit and Fox are amongst the resident mammals.  The Spinney is also host to many fungi.

The Quarry Gardens

The quarry floor has been transformed into a semi-formal garden.  Here, south facing, is the huge perimeter wall of granite from the original quarry days, now covered in Navelwort. The gardens are pollinator-rich with wildflower/herb borders of Borage, Mint, Thyme, Oregano, Ox-eye Daisy, Foxglove, Coltsfoot, Honesty, etc. In Summer the quarry garden is host to many dragonflies.

The Butterfly Walk

This will reopen in 2024 with access via a new path within- the site.  The area has been planted mostly with grasses, Buddleja and native wildflowers with butterflies in mind. These have included Holly Blue, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Comma, Small Copper, Ringlet and Gatekeeper.

The Quarry banks and Mountsorrel Branch line cutting

As visitors enter the site, the adjoining ‘Beetle Bank’ is covered in Bedstraws, Knapweed, Mallow, Everlasting Sweet Pea, Vetches, Ox-eye Daisy, Scabious, Vipers Bugloss, etc.  There is also a Butterfly and Bee Bank which runs alongside the path leading to the museums.  The upper section of this bank is wild and includes Bramble, Nettle and Thistles, whilst the lower section is planted for pollinators and includes both native and garden flowers such as Fox and Cubs, Erysimum, Verbena, Dogwood, Buddleja and Quince.