About the reserve

Copythorne Common nature reserve is a site brimming with history, with dips and hollows created by the US army prior to D-Day scattered liberally around. Here you will see what remains of the soldiers' slit trenches, as well as where the troops dug their tank into the ground.

This reserve is a mixture of dry heath and acid grassland, home to a variety of reptiles including common lizards, slow worms and adders. On warm days, you may see them basking in the sun. It is also a great place to hear the flute-like song of woodlarks and the cheerful chattering of long-tailed tits. The reserve is currently in mid-transformation, and is being restored to heathland.