About the reserve

In the spring, enjoy the distinctive ‘little bit of bread and no cheese!’ call of yellowhammer – a bird that’s now an endangered species.

Raven, kestrel and buzzard can be seen soaring overhead all year round, and over the warmer months, the dulcet tones of farmland and grassland birds such as skylark and meadow pipit fill the air.

In the summer, look out for carline thistle, salad burnet, squinancywort and the increasingly rare bastard-toadflax.

During autumn, watch finches feast on the seeds of summer flowers and look for migrant birds such as wheatear

Special Features: 

• A great deal of history surrounds this nature reserve - the infamous Knighton Gorges (supposedly the most haunted house on the Island) can be seen from the down.
• This rugged chalk downland has not changed for centuries. With panoramic views over fields and the open sea, this pocket of traditional downland is a sanctuary for wildlife and a valued retreat for local people.