Totternhoe Knolls and Totternhoe Quarry
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Orchid-rich chalk grassland and archaeology go hand-in-hand at these nearby reserves |
Both reserves were formed by medieval quarrying which left spoil heaps that have developed into impressive flower-rich chalk grasslands. Other land has only recenty been left to colonise with grassland. Totternhoe Stone is a strong durable chalk that has long been used for building, including Westminster Abbey.
At the Knolls, a motte and bailey castle lies just outside the area managed by the Wildlife Trust, although the steep slopes of the ramparts form an impressive approach to the site.
At the nearby Totternhoe Quarry, steep gullies form valleys along which stone would once have been brought from the quarries and also from mines deep beneath adjacent fields.
Both sites have since developed an impressive range of wild flowers, including many types of orchids, from common spotted, man, fragrant and pyramidal, to frog orchid and the common twayblade. The chalk grassland has been grazed for centuries producing a short turf that is low in nutrients. This prevents any one species from becoming dominant. The two sites are linked by green lanes, which are old drove roads, along which livestock would have been taken to and from the important market town of Dunstable.
Visit either reserve in spring and the grasslands are already showing signs of colour with cowslips and violets. Cowslips are the food plant of the caterpillars of the scarce Duke of Burgundy, which prefers to lay its eggs on those leaves growing in the dappled shade of light scrub. Adder's-tongue fern, an indicator of long-undisturbed grassland, free of chemical fertilisers, sends its unusual frond upwards.
Later, in summer, the cat-like purr of the turtle dove echoes lightly from the scrub and marbled white butterflies flit from flower to flower. Totternhoe is the best place in the county to see the small blue butterfly. You can spend the day walking around and in the early evening track down the roosting places of this tiny butterfly, hundreds of which can be found in the quarry edges.
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Plants: Cowslip, adder's tongue fern, horseshoe vetch Insects: Green hairstreak, Duke of Burgundy and small blue butterflies |
Plants: Orchids, restharrow, squinancywort, hoary plantain, yellow rattle Insects: Chalkhill blue butterfly and marbled white butterflies, glow-worm, chimney sweeper moth Birds: Turtle dove |
Plants: Autumn gentian, Chiltern gentian |