Nature reserves and sites of special scientific interest (SSSI)
Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common
Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common lie within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The main aspect of the hill is clearly visible from many parts of Cheltenham. The hill has, therefore, become a cherished landscape feature and recreational area for many of the town's residents and visitors.
Leckhampton Hill location and site information
Location
Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common lie to the south and south east of Cheltenham. Parking is available at Daisybank Road off Leckhampton Road and at Hartley Lane near the hill top. View the location on Google maps.
Site
Areas on Leckhampton Hill have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the biological interest of the unimproved calcareous grassland and for its geological exposures. Historical features on the hill include an Iron Age hillfort and long barrow. Old tramways criss-cross the hill from the days of limestone quarrying and the remains of kilns and quarries are still very much in evidence.
Wildlife
The hill supports a wealth of wildlife including small mammals - foxes, stoats, badgers and rabbits - and reptiles. Butterfly species include the Duke of Burgundy, Dark Green Fritillary, and Pearl Bordered Fritillary and there is extensive birdlife - buzzards and kestrels are regularly seen and a pair of red kites was reported in the summer of 2004 by a local paraglider. The hill is also home to a great array of wild flowers including many varieties of orchid - among others, the Early Purple, Common Spotted, Musk, Butterfly, Fly and Bee orchids.
We would like to gather more information about the wildlife that visits our parks and open spaces and we are linked up with the Gloucestershire Environmental Records Centre. If you would like to record any sighting of wildlife which you have seen during your visit please visit the link above.
Communication protocol for Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common - 2025
Cheltenham Borough Council (CBC), in collaboration with the Friends of Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common (FOLK), has undertaken a review of the existing communication protocol to improve how information is shared with users of the site.
This updated protocol - developed jointly by both organisations - aims to ensure that all stakeholders are kept informed about specific projects and activities taking place on Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common. The protocol below outlines the agreed approach and is designed to cover a wide range of scenarios.
Moving forward, this protocol will be applied to all future works as outlined below.
The communication protocol
Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common is owned and managed by Cheltenham Borough Council. The site is designated as a Site of Scientific and Special Interest and works are needed to maintain the equilibrium of biodiversity and Nature conservation with public use, accessibility and recreational use.
The new protocol is needed to keep FOLK (Friends of Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common) and the public informed of one-off projects that take place on the site from time to time that might have a high visual impact, particularly on areas of high footfall which goes beyond what is currently considered routine site maintenance.
What it applies to:
Substantial tree work, that may include removal such as ash dieback or of non-native invasive species.
New cattle fencing and walling
Projects targeted at preserving rare species of plants and animals
Refurbishment of path surfaces
Work to preserve geological and archaeological features
Veternisation of selected mature trees
What it does not apply to:
Routine site maintenance tasks carried out annually to preserve the important features of the Site of Scientific Interest and peripheral layback fields (FOLK and Cotswold wardens)
Management of gorse and scrub
Grass management
Cattle movement
Management of vegetation around archaeological and geological features
How will it work:
Project is identified internally or through external body
Project outline brought to FOLK executive committee for discussion/site visit
Project refined following feedback
Projects involving on site contractors would need to be circulated before the funds were available and the spec is finalized. In this instance minimum of 6 weeks
The high priority consultation required when works come under the label of large conservation projects/public access particularly in high footfall areas. Minimum 6 weeks.
Project worked up into detailed proposal and specification
Funding is sourced
Project publicised on CBC website/Facebook page
FOLK Facebook link and official comment
Project proposal displayed on site with explanation and plans. May need QR code back to CBC website for detail.
Signs displayed on site minimum of four weeks
Comments considered, project reassessed/amended if required
Work commences
Work completed and posted on CBC and FOLK website/Facebook
Based on negative feedback from the public or Folk membership. The project will be reviewed by Cheltenham Borough Council green space and public realm manager and the cabinet member for waste, recycling, parks, gardens and green open space. They will consider the comments and feedback. As judged appropriate the project could be cancelled or if all the permissions have been granted and if the project is seen to be of benefit of the site the project would proceed in its original or amended form.
These are attended by the council's community rangers, and volunteers carry out varied work on the hill in line with the management plan. Meet at the Daisy Bank Road car park at 9.30am.
The Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common Management Plan is a large document running to nearly 300 pages with an additional 31 page summary.
Issue 1 of the plan (August 2002) was adopted by the Friends of Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common (FOLK) in October 2002 and by Cheltenham Borough Council in November 2002 following widespread consultation.
The objectives and recommendations in Issue 1 are unchanged in Issue 2 but a number of typographical and other minor errors in the document have been corrected. The most significant change in Issue 2 is that the objectives and recommendations have been numbered to help in referencing them during the lifetime of the plan.
To view any item within the management plan please locate the page number listed in the contents page.
Grazing of Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common
We have partnered with Eddie and Emma from Wades Conservation Grazing, a small family business, to graze the Common using their growing herd of Galloway cattle.
The cattle provide critical grazing that the site needs to flourish and thrive. The way the cattle graze, pulling and tearing at the grass, leaves the vegetation uneven and helps to create a variety of micro-habitats essential to supporting species rich grasslands like those found on the site.
Interacting with the cattle
The cows are very placid and are used to seeing people and dogs, but please take care near them. Please keep your dogs under tight control.
Please be aware that the cows are managed using invisible GPS fence lines, so might not want to walk in a direction you want them to.
In case of an issue please contact:
Wayne Sedgwick (Senior ranger) - 07733 014743
Eddie Llewellyn (Grazier) – 07769 654000
Where are the cows?
The cows are fitted with virtual fencing collars, allowing us to manage their grazing better and graze them in the the best places for the site. It also means we can keep the cows off the main footpaths, whenever possible, or restrict their access for short periods. Another advantage is that the collars have GPS locators so we know where they are at all times. This means we can tell you where the cattle are and what virtual field they have access to so you can plan your walk accordingly if you want.
Funded by the National Grid. Supported by Charlton Kings Parish Council and Friends of Leckhampton Hill and Charlton Kings Common (FOLK).
Other nature reserves
We are lucky to have such a diversity of green spaces in the town. They are host to a wealth of fascinating wildlife including rare birds and plants.
We're seeking to upgrade all of our nature reserves to Local Nature Reserve (LNR) Status to ensure that they are kept for the benefit of wildlife and biodiversity in Cheltenham.
We would like to gather more information about the wildlife that visits our parks and open spaces and we are linked to the Gloucestershire Centre for Environmental Records. If you would like to record any sighting of wildlife which you have seen during your visit please visit their website for information.
Pilley Bridge nature reserve
Pilley Bridge Nature Reserve is an urban nature reserve in the heart of the southern part of Cheltenham. It was once part of the Great Western Railway on the Cheltenham to Banbury line but after the closure of this route in the 1960s it was taken over by Cheltenham Borough Council who designated it a kilometre-long, nature reserve.
There is a wide variety of natural habitats in this small area which stretches from the back of the Travis Perkins on Mead Road, under Pilley Bridge on the Old Bath Road, almost as far as Sandy Lane.
The western part of the reserve runs from Pilley Bridge to the the back of Travis Perkins. The railway embankments form a woodland edge habitat with an understorey of holly and hawthorn and a range of ground flora provide interest across the flowering seasons. Foxes, badgers and deer have all been recorded using the reserve and a peregrine falcon has also been seen feeding on the site. In 2012 a community orchard was created by the Friends of Pilley Bridge to add to the fruit trees that are already present on site.
The eastern side of the reserve contains a meadow area which leads to a pond which is fed from natural springs. The meadow provides an open area for butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies to feed.
Site management
The site is managed by Cheltenham Borough Council's Community Ranger Service and the Friends of Pilley Bridge. Jointly, these groups implement practical conservation works on site on a monthly basis.
Getting there
Road
Access to the reserve is from either Old Bath Road via the gated entrance and down some steps. There are two access point to the Public Footway which lead to the reserve from Mead Road. Parking is on street only.
Bus
Stagecoach bus route P/Q has bus stops on the Old Bath Road close to Mead Road entrance.
Griffiths Avenue Local Nature reserve can be found in the St Mark's area of Cheltenham.
A Victorian stable building and walled garden in over two and a half acres of land, it was part of the old Granleys Estate and the first nature reserve in the borough to receive English Nature's statutory Local Nature Reserve status.
Wildlife
There are two wild flower meadows supporting over fifteen species of butterfly and a wealth of flowers and grasses. A range of small mammals including badgers, foxes and bats have made their homes on the reserve. There is also a varied range of trees including Monterey Cypress and Wellingtonia Sequoia.
Site management
The management plan for this site is currently being amended.
Rangers have carried out seasonal work at Griffiths Avenue over the years with groups from the community service unit of Gloucestershire Probation Service. These have included the construction and maintenance of paths and fences, vegetation clearance, habitat piles and tree care.
If you have any questions please contact the community rangers.
