List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Rutland facts for kids
This page is about SSSIs in Rutland. For other counties, see List of SSSIs by Area of Search.
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Rutland is a small county in the middle of England, known for its beautiful countryside. It's a "landlocked" county, meaning it's surrounded by land and has no coast. Even though it's mostly rural, it has two main towns: Oakham (the county town) and Uppingham. Rutland covers about 151.5 square miles and is home to around 37,400 people.
In England, there are special places called Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). These sites are chosen by Natural England, a group that works to protect England's natural environment. When a place becomes an SSSI, it gets legal protection because it's super important for its wildlife or unique geology (rocks and landforms). As of November 2017, Rutland has 19 SSSIs. Most of these are important for their plants and animals, one is important for its geology, and two are special for both!
The biggest SSSI in Rutland is Rutland Water, which is huge at about 1,555 hectares. It's an internationally important wetland, especially for birds. The smallest SSSI is Tolethorpe Road Verges, which is only about 1 hectare. This tiny spot is special because it has rare plants growing on its ancient Jurassic limestone.
Contents
What are Sites of Special Scientific Interest?
SSSIs are like nature's VIP areas. They are protected by law because they are the best examples of England's natural heritage. This means they have special plants, animals, or geological features that need to be looked after.
Why are SSSIs Important?
- Protecting Wildlife: SSSIs provide safe homes for rare and endangered plants and animals.
- Studying Nature: Scientists can learn a lot about how nature works by studying these undisturbed areas.
- Preserving Geology: Some SSSIs show us amazing rock formations or fossils that tell us about Earth's history.
- Enjoying Nature: Many SSSIs offer places for people to explore and enjoy the natural world, though some have limited access to protect sensitive areas.
Exploring Rutland's Amazing Wild Places
Here's a look at some of the special SSSIs in Rutland. Each one has something unique to offer!
| Site Name | Picture | Important for Plants & Animals? | Important for Geology? | Size (approx.) | Public Access | Location | Other Special Status | Map | What Makes it Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloody Oaks Quarry |  |
Yes | 1.1 ha (2.7 acres) | YES | Stamford 52°41′10″N 0°33′50″W / 52.686°N 0.564°W SK 971 108 |
LRWT | Map | This old quarry has beautiful grassland full of different plant species. You can find flowers like rock-rose and autumn gentian here. | |
| Burley and Rushpit Woods |  |
Yes | 161.2 ha (398.4 acres) | NO | Oakham 52°40′44″N 0°41′02″W / 52.679°N 0.684°W SK 891 098 |
Map | These woods have many old trees, especially oak and ash. They are important for their lichens (tiny plant-like growths) and insects, including some very rare ones. | ||
| Clipsham Old Quarry and Pickworth Great Wood |  |
Yes | Yes | 111.2 ha (274.8 acres) | PP | Oakham 52°43′23″N 0°32′56″W / 52.723°N 0.549°W SK 981 149 |
GCR | Map | Pickworth Great Wood is one of Rutland's largest woods, home to many birds and moths. The quarry shows off Lincolnshire Limestone rocks from about 170 million years ago! It also has grassland with lime-loving plants. |
| East Wood, Great Casterton |  |
Yes | 6.6 ha (16.3 acres) | Great Casterton 52°41′35″N 0°30′58″W / 52.693°N 0.516°W TF 004 116 |
Map | This ancient woodland sits on boulder clay left by glaciers. It's filled with ash, oak, and wych elm trees, and has a rich variety of plants on the ground. | |||
| Empingham Marshy Meadows |  |
Yes | 14.0 ha (34.6 acres) | YES | Oakham 52°40′23″N 0°35′17″W / 52.673°N 0.588°W SK 956 093 |
Map | Located in the North Brook valley, this site has different habitats like grassland and marsh. You can find plants such as adder's tongue fern and marsh marigold in the wetter parts. | ||
| Eye Brook Reservoir |  |
Yes | 201.3 ha (497.4 acres) | NO | Uppingham 52°33′04″N 0°44′42″W / 52.551°N 0.745°W SP 852 955 |
Map | This reservoir is a very important spot for wild birds that spend the winter here, like wigeon and teal. It also has marshes, mudflats, and woodlands. | ||
| Greetham Meadows |  |
Yes | 12.4 ha (30.6 acres) | YES | Oakham 52°43′52″N 0°36′43″W / 52.731°N 0.612°W SK 938 157 |
LRWT | Map | This meadow is the only place in Rutland where the rare frog orchid grows. The soil is made of boulder clay, and you can find many types of grasses and several ponds here. | |
| Ketton Quarries |  |
Yes | Yes | 115.6 ha (285.6 acres) | PP | Stamford 52°38′20″N 0°34′05″W / 52.639°N 0.568°W SK 970 055 |
GCR, LRWT | Map | This site is very important for showing rocks from the middle Jurassic period, about 167 million years ago. The older parts of the quarry have large areas of special limestone grassland and scrub. |
| Luffenham Heath Golf Course |  |
Yes | 75.1 ha (185.6 acres) | NO | Stamford 52°36′36″N 0°35′13″W / 52.610°N 0.587°W SK 958 023 |
Map | This golf course has different soil types, including calcareous grassland on Jurassic limestone. It's known for its many types of butterflies and other insects. | ||
| Newell Wood |  |
Yes | 33.3 ha (82.3 acres) | NO | Stamford 52°43′05″N 0°31′01″W / 52.718°N 0.517°W TF 003 144 |
Map | This woodland grows on glacial sands and gravels. It's mostly oak and birch trees, with plants like bracken and early purple orchid on the ground. | ||
| North Luffenham Quarry |  |
Yes | 4.6 ha (11.4 acres) | NO | Stamford 52°37′19″N 0°34′55″W / 52.622°N 0.582°W SK 961 036 |
Map | This quarry has calcareous grassland on thin soils from Jurassic limestone. You can find plants like basil thyme and bee orchid here, and it's home to many different insects. | ||
| Prior's Coppice |  |
Yes | 27.4 ha (67.7 acres) | YES | Oakham 52°38′13″N 0°43′59″W / 52.637°N 0.733°W SK 831 051 |
LRWT | Map | This wood grows on clay soils from the Jurassic period. It's mainly ash and oak trees, with a rich variety of plants on the ground, typical of old clay woodlands. | |
| Rutland Water |  |
Yes | 1,555.3 ha (3,843.2 acres) | YES | Oakham 52°39′14″N 0°39′43″W / 52.654°N 0.662°W SK 906 071 |
LRWT, NCR, Ramsar, SPA | Map | This huge wetland is a major stop for many migrating and wintering waterfowl, like goldeneyes and tufted ducks. It has lagoons, islands, marshes, and woodlands, making it a diverse habitat. | |
| Ryhall Pasture and Little Warren Verges |  |
Yes | 6.2 ha (15.3 acres) | PP | Stamford 52°42′40″N 0°29′24″W / 52.711°N 0.490°W TF 021 137 |
Map | Ryhall Pasture has grasses like tor-grass and red fescue growing on Jurassic limestone soil. It's rich in herbs, including clustered bellflower and greater knapweed. | ||
| Seaton Meadows |  |
Yes | 11.4 ha (28.2 acres) | YES | Oakham 52°34′16″N 0°39′04″W / 52.571°N 0.651°W SP 915 979 |
Plantlife | Map | These meadows are managed in a traditional way, making them a rare example of natural alluvial flood meadows. They have many different grasses, like meadow foxtail and Yorkshire fog. | |
| Shacklewell Hollow |  |
Yes | 3.2 ha (7.9 acres) | NO | Oakham 52°39′29″N 0°33′29″W / 52.658°N 0.558°W SK 976 077 |
Map | This marshy area has ponds with lots of mare's tail plants. It also features calcareous grassland and alder woods, creating a mix of habitats. | ||
| Tickencote Marsh |  |
Yes | 3.0 ha (7.4 acres) | NO | Stamford 52°40′16″N 0°32′56″W / 52.671°N 0.549°W SK 982 091 |
Map | This marsh in the River Gwash valley is a "base-rich" grazing marsh, which is becoming very rare. You can find plants like lesser pond-sedge and marsh horsetail here. | ||
| Tolethorpe Road Verges |  |
Yes | 1.0 ha (2.5 acres) | YES | Stamford 52°40′55″N 0°30′14″W / 52.682°N 0.504°W TF 012 104 |
Map | These grassy road verges on Jurassic limestone are home to several plants that are uncommon in the region. They have calcareous grassland herbs like spiny restharrow and stemless thistle. | ||
| Wing Water Treatment Works |  |
Yes | 1.5 ha (3.7 acres) | YES | Oakham 52°36′50″N 0°40′34″W / 52.614°N 0.676°W SK 898 026 |
GCR | Map | This site is incredibly important for understanding Earth's history. It has the longest known sequence of deposits from a warm period about 120,000 years ago, and has revealed new plant fossils from that time. |
See also
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List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Rutland Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.