Ningwood Common Nature Reserve

Ningwood Common

© Chas Spradbery

Ningwood Common Nature Reserve

A stronghold for some of the UK’s rarer species and a stunning woodland walk

Location

Two miles east of Yarmouth
Yarmouth
Isle of Wight

OS Map Reference

SZ 397 901
A static map of Ningwood Common Nature Reserve

Know before you go

Size
11 hectares
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Entry fee

Donations welcome
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Grazing animals

Our sites are grazed all year by livestock. Please follow the signage on site.
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Access

There is a circular permissive route. Contact the Trust for disabled access information

Dogs

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When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

Visit in summer to see butterflies, and if you are a morning person visit early to hear the iconic song of the nightingale. Late in the evening nightjar can be heard churring

About the reserve

Just outside Cranmore, Ningwood Common has a rich history  - returning serviceman settled the area after World War One, but the heavy clay soils were difficult to farm so many of the plots were abandoned and have since returned to woodland. The mix of habitats is fantastic for wildlife – it’s a haven for red squirrels and dormice. In the summer, you can follow the woodland path and look for silver-washed fritillaries and white admirals flitting about in the sunlight.

If you’re an early riser, listen for the iconic song of the nightingale at one of its few remaining strongholds. Later at dusk the elusive nightjar can be heard churring and the ghostly silhouette of a barn owl silently hunting its prey emerges from the trees. The heathland of Ningwood Common is home to the reddish buff moth – this is the only place it can now be found in the UK.

Contact us

Emma Hunt
Contact number: 07741 312892
Contact email: Emma.Hunt@hiwwt.org.uk

Location map

Map key

Map Key