Grangelands and Pulpit Hill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Grangelands and Pulpit Hill

Site of Special Scientific Interest
The woods on the side of Pulpit Hill
Area of Search	Buckinghamshire
Interest	Biological
Area	25.5 hectares
Notification	1985
Location map	Magic Map

Grangelands and Pulpit Hill is a special natural area in Buckinghamshire, England. It covers about 25.5 hectares, which is like 35 football fields! This area is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it has important plants, animals, or geology that need to be protected.

Grangelands and Pulpit Hill is also part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This is a special title given to beautiful landscapes in England.

Who Looks After Grangelands and Pulpit Hill?

Pulpit Hill is cared for by the National Trust. This charity helps protect important historic places and natural spaces.

Grangelands used to be looked after by the local council. But in 2014, it was given to the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. This group works to protect wildlife and wild places.

Amazing Nature at Grangelands and Pulpit Hill

This area is home to many different plants and animals. It has open grassy areas, thick bushes, and beautiful woodlands.

Wonderful Wildlife

The site is great for many interesting creatures. You might spot special birds that nest here. It's also a fantastic place for insects. For example, you can find glow-worms, which are beetles that glow in the dark!

Butterflies love this place too. Look out for the marbled white butterfly with its checkerboard wings. The chalkhill blue butterfly, with its bright blue wings, also lives here.

Beautiful Woodlands

The woodlands at Grangelands and Pulpit Hill are very old. Some parts have tall beech trees. Underneath these trees, you'll find a few bushes like holly and elder. The ground is covered with plants like wood sorrel and woodruff.

Further down the hills, the woods are a mix of different trees. You can see yew, ash, whitebeam, and wild cherry. There are also bushes like blackthorn, hawthorn, and purging buckthorn.

These woods are also home to some rare and beautiful orchids. These include the white helleborine and the narrow-lipped helleborine. You might even find the yellow bird's-nest orchid or the bird's-nest orchid.

Grassy Areas and Wildflowers

There are different types of grassy areas here, called scrubland and grassland. Each type has its own special wildflowers.

You can see colorful flowers like cowslip and field scabious. There are also different types of knapweeds, marjoram, and common St John's wort.

More amazing orchids grow in these grassy spots. Keep an eye out for the common spotted orchid and the amazing bee orchid. The pyramidal orchid and the fragrant orchid also add to the beauty.

A Glimpse into History

Pulpit Hill has a very old secret at its top. There is a small but well-preserved hill fort there.

What is a Hill Fort?

A hill fort is an ancient type of fort built on a hill. People built these forts a very long time ago for protection. The one on Pulpit Hill dates back to the late Bronze Age and Iron Age. That means it's thousands of years old!

This hill fort is so important that it's a "scheduled monument." This means it's protected by law, so it can't be damaged. In 2000, experts from English Heritage (now called Historic England) studied the hill fort. They wanted to learn more about its history.

Visiting Grangelands and Pulpit Hill

The site is always open for visitors to enjoy. However, some parts can be tricky to walk through. There are steep slopes and soft ground. This means it might be difficult for people who have trouble walking.