Lynchcombe Steps
Lynchcombe – Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID 824_5855
Lynchcombe
The Lynchcombe nature reserve on the Mendip Hills is a sunny south facing grassland slope. It is a beautiful location that needs a lot of management to keep it this way.
I am a volunteer reserve warden for this site but many other volunteers, reserve staff and sub-constractors do far more work on the reserve.
As I walked around the reserve today I was reminded of the work done by the Mendip Conservation Volunteers who will soon be back on the reserve. On Wednesday they aim to continue their scrub clearance on the lynchets. These are a series of ridges formed along the hill side associated with the farmhouse on the neighbouring Deerleap field. The volunteers are vital as machine access is limited by ancient monument regulations and the steep slopes.
The aim is to leave some patches of scrub as habitat for song birds and rabbits, while clearing other parts so that the special limestone plants on the thinner soils can grow.
This is a never ending task.
Eight Years Ago
A lot of hawthorn was cleared.
Clearing scrub by the Mendip Conservation Volunteers – 8 years ago
Four Years Ago
The volunteers tackled the steep slopes.
Clearing scrub by the Mendip Conservation Volunteers – 4 years ago
They are making a huge difference.
Clearing scrub by the Mendip Conservation Volunteers – 4 years ago
Today the lynchet slopes were looking so much more open compared to when I started as a reserve manager 11 years ago.
Lynchcombe – Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID 824_5795
And Finally…
From the cleared slopes this reserve has some fantastic views.
Views across Lynchcombe showing the Lynchets
