ontmell and Melbury Down is a Site of Special ncient chalk grassland is now very rare. In the last FScientific Interest, lying in the Cranborne Chase Area A70 years it is estimated that 80% of Britain’s chalk of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has been designated grassland has been lost. A well-managed chalk downland, a European status of Special Area of Conservation in such as Fontmell Down, can contain 50+ species of wild respect of large numbers of the rare and endemic early flower in a single square metre. They were created by gentian flowering in May. Partly owned by the National man in the Bronze Age, during the forest clearance. Trust, but entirely managed by Dorset Wildlife Trust, Thin soils on the slopes made ploughing impossible, Fontmell Down is a 64ha mix of chalk downland, scrub so the downs were grazed with sheep and other and woodland, which provides a huge variety of wild animals, producing the species-rich grasslands we flowers, including 9 orchid species, 35 recorded butterfly see today. species and many birds. halk grassland needs to be managed FONTMELL otherwise it will be invaded by scrub This walk assumes a start from the National C and trees. A mixture of local organic Trust car park at Spread Eagle Hill grazing animals and manual cutting map ref. ST 886187. Following the black DOWN on rotation is applied on Fontmell arrows, the walk is approximately 3km, Buzzard Down, which is managed by: at times on rough, steep terrain so strong Dorset Wildlife Trust - the footwear is recommended! DWT’s Fontmell nature reserve largest conservation charity in Dorset, with over 25,000 Down nature reserve is open access, but, members. DWT manages over 1200 hectares as nature please follow the Countryside Code: reserves in the county, inspiring countless people to love Dorset’s wonderful nature. We are widely respected as a • Be safe, plan ahead and follow signs protector and champion of Dorset’s biodiversity. CIRCULAR WALK • Leave gates and property as you find them • Protect plants and animals & take litter home For more information visit • Keep dogs under close control, particularly www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk near grazing stock • Consider other people

PLEASE NOTE Beware of ticks, especially in long grass, bracken and scrub. Please dress appropriately.

This leaflet and trail waymarkers have been kindly sponsored by Neal’s Yard Remedies www.nealsyardremedies.com

Aubrac cattle grazing on Littledown

Map based upon the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationary Office, Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Part of a Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. nationwide network of Wildlife Trusts

Dorset Wildlife Trust, licence number 29185. Ken Dolbear MBE Adonis blue butterfly © & Oliver © Steve on Little Down Cowslips photos: cover Front Dolbear MBE © Ken & Buzzard Oliver Grazing Cattle © Steve photos: Back cover This map remains the property of Dorset Wildlife Trust and must be returned on demand. Protecting Wildlife for the Future On entering the reserve To Shaftesbury C13 Arriving above the block of Fontmell Down * At gate from the north east corner, walk straight scrub, the route climbs diagonally marker 1 is a great place nature reserve Spread Eagle Hill ahead up the western slope of this natural Car Park to soak up the stunning view amphitheatre, where the warm, of Fontmell Down nature To Compton south facing aspect provides drifts Woodland Car park v Abbas Airfield reserve, and beyond into the N of colour from chalk milkwort, Blackmore Vale. Looking Scrub/Gorse Tumuli bird’s-foot-trefoil, harebell south west across the valley and horseshoe vetch. This v you can see a Bronze Age Waymarked trail v Marker Post v latter species is very important cross-dyke - a probable Bridleway v for chalkhill blue and Adonis Gate/Stile territory boundary marker or Other paths North Curlew blue butterflies, being the larval defensive earthwork. Fence line v plant for both.

0 100 200 v Metres If time allows, there is South Nearing the upper third of an option at this point to v Curlew the slope, this is the warmest part continue through a gate south west v of the south facing slope and prime into Littledown, a piece of chalk Autumn v habitat for one of Dorset’s rarest downland exceptionally rich in wild ladies butterflies, thesilver-spotted flowers, including a yellow carpet tresses skipper. Restricted to chalk of cowslips in May, the broadest Raven downland in southern England and range of orchids on the reserve and Big Catswhisker at the western edge of its range, other flowers such asknapweeds , Bury

To Blandford C13 Blandford To this warmth-loving skipper flies eyebrights, hawkweeds and during August. Its larvae feed on scabious species. Little sheep’s fescue grass. Bury One of the reasons for Fontmell Down’s conservation v designations is the presence of Littledown , a early gentians Bird’s-foot-trefoil species endemic to the UK, flowering in Silver-spotted May/early June. skipper Mainly found on the south facing slopes, several Springhead are often Farm seen around this point. Fontmell Hill To Fontmell Magna House Photos © Ken Dolbear MBE, Mark James, Matthew Marshall & Steve Oliver Marshall & Steve Matthew Mark James, Dolbear MBE, Photos © Ken Early gentian Chalkhill blue HarebellBrandis Down Burnet moth on scabious Pyramidal orchid Fescue grass

Jerrys Hole To Blandford C13 To Sutton Waldron