List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Bedfordshire facts for kids

Houghton Regis Marl Lakes is one of Bedfordshire's special natural sites.

Bedfordshire is a county in the East of England. It's bordered by Hertfordshire to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, and Buckinghamshire to the west. The county covers about 1,235 square kilometers (477 square miles) and had a population of around 630,000 people in 2015. Its main town is Bedford. The name "Bedfordshire" was first recorded around 879 in a treaty between King Alfred the Great and Guthrum, which divided England and Danish lands.

The southern part of Bedfordshire is famous for its beautiful Chilterns area, which is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The middle and northern parts of the county have rolling clay hills with wide river valleys, including the River Great Ouse and its smaller rivers. You can also find the Bedfordshire Greensand Ridge here. The ground is mostly made of Jurassic and Cretaceous clays, covered by Quaternary glacial deposits.

What are Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)?

Barton Hills is a beautiful chalk pasture with many types of flowers.

Biddenham Pit is important for its ancient fossils.

Blow's Down has varied habitats, including grassland.

Cooper's Hill is a great example of heathland.

Deacon Hill is known for its rich plant life and butterflies.

Double Arches Pit shows ancient geological layers.

Dropshort Marsh is a unique wetland area.

Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs offer stunning views and chalkland flora.

Fancott Woods and Meadows are ancient grasslands.

Felmersham Gravel Pits are home to many dragonflies.

Flitwick Moor is the largest wetland in Bedfordshire.

Galley and Warden Hills are rich in wild flowers and butterflies.

Hanger Wood is known for its wet ash-maple woodland.

Houghton Regis Marl Lakes are important for birds and dragonflies.

Kensworth Chalk Pit is a large quarry with many rare fossils.

Kings and Bakers Woods and Heaths have the largest woodland area in Bedfordshire.

Kings Wood and Glebe Meadows are ancient woodlands.

Knocking Hoe is a valley with rare plants.

Marston Thrift is an important site for butterflies.

Maulden Church Meadow is an unimproved pasture with many species.

Maulden Heath has two meadows with short grass and herbs.

Maulden Wood is home to many rare invertebrates.

Nares Gladley Marsh has rich plant communities.

Nine Acres Pit is famous for its diverse ancient fossils.

Odell Great Wood has an exceptional variety of plants.

Potton Wood is an ancient mixed woodland.

Pulloxhill Marsh has a wide variety of plant species.

Sandy Warren is a rare heathland area.

Smithcombe, Sharpenhoe and Sundon Hills are rich in chalk grassland plants.

Southill Lake and Woods are important for breeding birds.

Stevington Marsh is a rare wetland habitat.

Sundon Chalk Quarry is known for its many dragonflies and butterflies.

Swineshead Wood is a diverse wet woodland.

Tebworth Marsh has diverse plant life from its springs.

Tilwick Meadow is a rare unimproved grassland.

Totternhoe Chalk Quarry is a threatened chalk grassland habitat.

Totternhoe Knolls are rich in rare plant species and butterflies.

Totternhoe Stone Pit is important for shark teeth fossils.

Wavendon Heath Ponds have unusual plant communities.

Yelden Meadows are a rare example of unimproved grassland.

A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is a special area in the UK that is protected by law because of its amazing wildlife or geology. Think of them as nature's treasures! These sites are chosen by Natural England, an organization that works to protect and improve England's natural environment.

In Bedfordshire, there are forty SSSIs. Thirty-five of these are special because of their biological interest (meaning they have important plants, animals, or habitats). The other five are special for their geological interest (meaning they have important rocks, fossils, or landforms).

Some of these sites have extra protection:

• Three are also National Nature Reserves (NNRs), which are the most important sites for wildlife and geology in the UK.
• Twelve are part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (CAONB), a beautiful protected landscape.
• Eleven are looked after by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire (WTBCN), a charity that works to protect local wildlife.

Bedfordshire is divided into three main local areas. Most of the SSSIs (thirty-two) are in Central Bedfordshire. Eight are in Bedford, and none are in Luton.

Exploring Bedfordshire's Special Sites

Let's take a closer look at some of these amazing places:

• Barton Hills: This site has steep chalky grasslands, which are like natural carpets of flowers and grasses. You can find six types of orchids here, including the beautiful fragrant orchid and bee orchid. Look out for the rare pasque flower too! It's also a National Nature Reserve and part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can visit this site.

• Biddenham Pit: This site is important for its geology. It contains fossils of ancient mollusks (like snails) and mammals from a warmer period in Earth's history. Scientists are still studying exactly when these fossils are from. You can also find very old Paleolithic stone tools here. This site is open to the public.

• Blow's Down: This area has many different types of habitats, including a large area of natural grassland. Cows help to keep the grass short, which is good for wildlife. There's also an old quarry and medieval farming terraces. A rare plant called Bunium bulbocastanum and a special beetle, Odontaeus armiger, live here. It's managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire and is part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can visit this site.

• Cooper's Hill: Natural England says this is the best example of heathland in Bedfordshire. Heathland is a special type of open land with small shrubs and grasses, found on thin, acidic soils. This site also has marshy areas and woodlands. It's a Local nature reserve and managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. You can visit this site.

• Deacon Hill SSSI: This site has chalk grassland, which is full of different plant species, some of which are quite rare. You might spot birds like lapwings and buzzards, and butterflies such as the dingy skipper and grizzled skipper. There are also old strip lynchet fields, which are ancient farming terraces. It's managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire and is part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can visit this site.

• Double Arches Pit: This site is a geological wonder! It shows layers of rock from the Lower Greensand Group, which formed around 146 to 100 million years ago during the Lower Cretaceous period. It's not open to the public.

• Dropshort Marsh: This marsh has many different habitats, including a rare type of quaking bog (a wetland where the ground shakes when you walk on it!). Many species that used to be common are now rare, making this site very important. It has springs, floating sweet-grass, brooklime, and areas covered in rushes. It's managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. You can visit this site.

• Dunstable and Whipsnade Downs: This is a long, steep hillside (3 kilometers) between Dunstable and Whipsnade. The slopes have typical chalk grassland plants, and there are also areas of scrub and tall herbs. It's a very important place for butterflies. This site is managed by the National Trust and is part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can visit this site.

• Fancott Woods and Meadows: The meadows here are mostly old "ridge and furrow" fields, which are natural grasslands used for hay and grazing. You can find plants like cowslips, ragged-robin, great burnet, common spotted orchid, and meadowsweet. It's managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. You can visit this site.

• Felmersham Gravel Pits: This site has old gravel pits that filled with water after they stopped being used around 1945. It also has grasslands, scrub, and woodlands. It's one of the best places in Bedfordshire to see dragonflies and damselflies. It's managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. You can visit this site.

• Flitwick Moor: This is a very rich valley mire (a type of wetland) and the largest wetland in Bedfordshire. Eight types of sphagnum bog moss have been found here, including one that is nationally rare. The site also has woodlands and wet grasslands. It's managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. You can visit this site.

• Galley and Warden Hills: This site is chalk grassland with areas of thick scrub. It has many plants that are rare both in the UK and locally. You can find a wide variety of wild flowers and over twenty types of butterflies here. It's a Local nature reserve and part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can visit this site.

• Hanger Wood: Natural England describes this as one of the best examples of wet ash-maple woodland in Bedfordshire. The ground is covered in plants like bluebell and dog's mercury, with bramble in drier spots. This site is not open to the public.

• Houghton Regis Marl Lakes: This large, old chalk quarry is special because it has standing water in chalk, which is rare. It's important for birds and for its many types of dragonflies. There are two marl lakes with aquatic plants and mollusks, and fens (waterlogged areas) between the lakes. It's managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire and is part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can visit this site.

• Kensworth Chalk Pit: This is a very large working quarry that shows fossil-rich chalk rocks. It has many rare fossils, including ammonites (ancient shelled creatures). Natural England calls it an "unrivalled locality" for studying the Upper Cretaceous period. This site is not open to the public.

• Kings and Bakers Woods and Heaths: This site has the largest remaining woodland area in Bedfordshire, along with lowland heath, acidic grassland, and small ponds. It's home to several rare plant species, such as great woodrush, wood vetch, and saw-wort. It's a National Nature Reserve and managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. You can visit this site.

• Kings Wood and Glebe Meadows, Houghton Conquest: This site has ancient ash and maple woodland on heavy clay, which is a rare habitat in lowland England. It's very diverse, with many rare species. Glebe Meadows has a rich variety of plants because it's managed in a traditional way. It's a Local nature reserve. You can visit this site.

• Knocking Hoe: This site is a valley with steep sides and a flat bottom. The natural chalk grassland has several plants that are rare in the UK, including moon carrot, spotted catsear, and pasque flower. The ancient strip lynchet field system (old farming terraces) is also very interesting for history buffs. It's a National Nature Reserve and part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can visit this site.

• Marston Thrift: This site has ash and maple woodland on heavy clay, a habitat that has become rare in lowland England. It also has areas of damp grassland and a grassland valley. It's an important place for butterflies, including the rare black hairstreak. It's a Local nature reserve. You can visit this site.

• Maulden Church Meadow: This site is a natural pasture on the Lower Greensand Group. Most of it is neutral grassland with many types of grasses and herbs, and there are small areas of acidic grassland. An open pond has aquatic plants, and two old ponds that have been filled in now have diverse marsh plants. It's a Local nature reserve. You can visit this site.

• Maulden Heath: This site has two separate meadows. The eastern meadow has two ridges with short grass, a moss layer, and many herbs. The western meadow is a steep-sided valley with similar habitats. You can visit this site.

• Maulden Wood and Pennyfather's Hill: This is an ancient woodland with a mix of deciduous (trees that lose leaves) and coniferous (evergreen) trees, along with paths and ponds. It has a wide variety of invertebrates (animals without backbones), including some that are rare in the UK, like the tiny moth Dioryctria mutatella and three types of sawfly. You can visit this site.

• Nares Gladley Marsh: This site is located in the valley of the River Ouzel. It has marshland with many springs and rich plant communities. Higher areas have acidic grassland. This site is not open to the public.

• Nine Acres Pit: This Lower Cretaceous site shows layers of rock from the Albian and Aptian periods, dating back between 125 and 100 million years ago. It has one of the most diverse collections of Albian fossils in the world! This site is not open to the public.

• Odell Great Wood: This site is a wet ash and maple woodland with an amazing variety of plants, such as wild daffodil and herb paris. The many paths through the wood make it even better for invertebrates and flowering plants. You can visit this site.

• Potton Wood: This wet woodland is mainly made up of ash and maple trees. Its shrub layer has plants that show it's an ancient woodland, like yellow archangel, wood millet, and oxlip, which is rare in the UK. The site also has paths rich in species, ponds, and many different bird species. You can visit this site.

• Pulloxhill Marsh: This marsh in a small valley has a wide variety of plant species, including some that are rare in the country, such as sharpflowered rush and blunt-flowered rush. It also has springs, neutral grassland in higher areas, and old hedgerows. This site is not open to the public.

• Sandy Warren: This site is heathland on the acidic soil of the Lower Greensand Group ridge, which is now quite rare. It also has areas of natural grassland and birch woodland. Other habitats include damp areas and seasonal pools, which are home to uncommon species like distant sedge and carnation sedge. It's managed by the RSPB. You can visit this site.

• Smithcombe, Sharpenhoe and Sundon Hills: Much of this site is natural chalk grassland with many plants that are now rare. You can find orchids like Herminium monorchis and Aceras anthropophorum. There's also a beech forest with primroses growing on the ground. This site is managed by the National Trust, is part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is a Scheduled monument (an important historical site). You can visit this site.

• Southill Lake and Woods: The wood here is a wet valley of alder trees, fed by springs, with a small stream flowing into the lake. There's fen vegetation in more open areas. The lake has a special group of breeding birds, and an island on the lake has one of only two remaining heronries (places where herons nest) in the county. This site is not open to the public.

• Stevington Marsh: This site is marshland along the banks of the River Great Ouse. The river, marshes, and pastures create many different habitats. The marshes are rich in flowers, with the largest one being dominated by great horsetail. The wetland communities and Jurassic limestone grassland are rare habitats in eastern England. You can visit this site.

• Sundon Chalk Quarry: This site has many different habitats, including fen, lakes, chalk grassland, scrub, and woodland. It's home to sixteen types of dragonflies and damselflies, and twenty-one types of butterflies! This site also has the largest English colony of the Chiltern gentian, a special flower. It's part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can visit this site.

• Swineshead Wood: This wet woodland has a diverse structure and many different living things. The most common trees are pedunculate oak and ash on heavy clay, and bluebells and dog's mercury cover the ground. It's managed by the Woodland Trust. You can visit this site.

• Tebworth Marsh: This site is a marsh rich in minerals, with diverse plant life. It has springs along the edge of glacial gravel, which creates wet marsh dominated by meadowsweet. Other habitats include neutral grassland, swamp carr woodland, old ash woodland, a stream, and hedgerows. You can visit this site.

• Tilwick Meadow: This meadow is located on the site of a medieval village that was abandoned during the Black Death. It's a natural grassland on chalk boulder clay with very rich plant life, a habitat that is now rare in the UK. Grass species include red fescue and sweet vernal-grass. You can visit this site.

• Totternhoe Chalk Quarry: This site is chalk grassland, a habitat that is currently under threat. It has several rare plant species, including great pignut, and butterflies like the chalkhill blue and the nationally rare Duke of Burgundy. It's part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. You can visit this site.

• Totternhoe Knolls: This is a grassland area with a rich variety of plant species, including some that are now rare. You can find many types of orchids and a wide variety of invertebrates, including butterflies like the common blue, chalkhill blue, and the scarce small blue and Duke of Burgundy. It's a Local nature reserve, managed by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, and part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You can visit this site.

• Totternhoe Stone Pit: This site shows the base of the Totternhoe Stone layer. It's a lime mud with a large deposit of shark teeth from the late Cretaceous period. Some of these shark teeth belong to species that haven't been fully described yet, making it an important place for future research! This site is not open to the public.

• Wavendon Heath Ponds: This site is an acidic mire (a type of wetland). It has three ponds with unusual plant communities, two natural meadows, some damp birch woodland, and a small stream. You can visit this site.

• Yelden Meadows: This site is a rare example of natural grassland on clay that hasn't been changed by modern farming. It's a flood meadow that has been traditionally managed to provide hay and winter grazing, and it has a rich variety of plant species. This site is not open to the public.

See also

• List of local nature reserves in Bedfordshire
• National nature reserves in Bedfordshire