How to get here Discover the wildlife of the By Bus: the following services all run past the Downs – 1, 8, 9, 40, 41, 54, 586 and 587. For further information Avon Gorge and Downs visit www.traveline.info or call Traveline on 0871 2002233. By Train: the nearest train station is Station, 10 minutes walk from the Downs. Visit www.nationalrail.co.uk or call 0845 7484950 for further details. By Road: follow the map below.

Welcome to the Avon Gorge, Clifton Down and Durdham Down

With stunning views and awe-inspring geology, the Avon Gorge’s wild and rugged rock faces are home to rare wildflowers, beautiful insects and nesting peregrine falcons.

Close by are the Downs where you can go for a stroll, play football, fly a kite or enjoy a perfect picnic beside wildflower meadows. Contacting us For copies of our nature trail leaflets or events programme, or details Just two miles from city centre, this is one of our school and playscheme sessions please contact: of the most exciting places to enjoy wildlife in Mandy Leivers, Avon Gorge & Downs Biodiversity Education Officer, Bristol. What’s more it’s open all year round and The Learning Department, Gardens, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3HA it’s free! Tel: 0117 9030609 E-mail: [email protected] www.avongorge.org.uk | www.facebook.com/avongorge Caring for wildlife The Project is a partnership of: The Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project

was set up to look after the wildlife of the We are also working in partnership with the National Trust who Bristol side of the Avon Gorge and manage part of Leigh Woods on the North side of the the Downs. Gorge and the Friends of the Downs and Avon Gorge. We have three roles: Production of this leaflet was funded by the Downs Committee. • Wildlife surveying and monitoring This leaflet is also available in large print and audio CD. Tel: 0117 9030609 • management Photography: Front cover: View of the Gorge (©zedphoto.com) | Bristol onion (Phil Jearey) | Peregrine falcon (©iStock) | Goat (Helen Hall) | Peregrine watching (AGDWP). • Education Inside poster: Silky wave moth (Mark Parsons, Butterfly Conservation) | Goat (Helen Hall) | Bristol rock-cress, peregrine falcon, raven, lichen, yellow rattle (Denice Stout) | Bluebell (Emma Wills) | Autumn squill, Bristol onion (Phil Jearey) | Jackdaw (Ray Cottrell/NWBCC) | Bristol whitebeam (Nicholas J. Wray) | Fieldfare (©iStock)

Design: dandicreative.co.uk. Printed with vegetable-based inks on revive silk 100% recycled paper.

Hedgehog squirrel Grey Fox Small blue Small brown Meadow white Marbled Gully the in Goat work Conservation onion Bristol

Small blue (Hugh Welford) (Hugh blue Small | (©iStock) hedgehog squirrel, grey fox, woodpecker, green bullfinch,

grey squirrels grey acrobatic are . .

Meadow brown, peregrine falcon, falcon, peregrine brown, Meadow | Thomas) (Kelly white Marbled | Stout) (Denice scabious Small

| Works) Rope Tillotson, (Angus work Conservation | Martin) (John rock-cress Bristol | Jearey) (Phil

river. The easiest mammals to spot, however, however, spot, to mammals easiest The river.

, Wilmott’s whitebeam, Bristol onion, knapweed, harebell harebell knapweed, onion, Bristol whitebeam, Wilmott’s , Herb-Robert | Wray) J. (Nicholas whitebeam

Bristol Bristol | ) Lees (Su orchid spotted Common | Barke) (James Hill Observatory Enjoying Downs, the on

are sometimes seen swimming across the the across swimming seen sometimes are deer Dog walking walking Dog | Hall) (Helen Gully the in goat blue, Common | Muir) (Simon Downs The Photography:

roe roe and caves Gorge’s the in roost also bats

shade out and kill the rare plants. rare the kill and out shade

greater horseshoe horseshoe greater and lesser Endangered

. . blue chalkhill a or unchecked, left if which, scrub and bramble

have all been seen. seen. been all have weasels and hedgehogs

blue small rare a spot also might you Gully grassland by munching woody species like like species woody munching by grassland

, , Foxes animals. secretive more our of some

. In the the In . browns meadow and blues common . They’re here to restore wildflower-rich wildflower-rich restore to here They’re . goats

An early morning stroll or jog might reveal reveal might jog or stroll morning early An

, , whites marbled for out look day summer’s In the Gully we’ve introduced a small herd of of herd small a introduced we’ve Gully the In

27 species of butterfly live here. On a sunny sunny a On here. live butterfly of species 27

Mammal magic Mammal

scrub and non-native weeds. non-native and scrub

It’s only found on two other sites in the UK. UK. the in sites other two on found only It’s protect the rare plants by clearing invasive invasive clearing by plants rare the protect

. moth wave silky the is rarest the of One cliffs below. These specially trained workers workers trained specially These below. cliffs

invertebrates. other and insects amazing

conservationists working from ropes on the the on ropes from working conservationists find out more? out find

The Gorge and Downs are teeming with with teeming are Downs and Gorge The In the winter you may see dare-devil dare-devil see may you winter the In Why not use the Downs bird trail leaflet to to leaflet trail bird Downs the use not Why

Bugs and beasties and Bugs

This is the only place they grow in the UK. the in grow they place only the is This

for juicy worms and grubs. grubs. and worms juicy for

. onion Bristol lollipop-like and rock-cress

can be seen probing the football pitches pitches football the probing seen be can gulls

Bristol Bristol delicate the to home also is Gorge The

and and jackdaws , crows carrion , rooks of flocks

Many other birds also come here to feed. Big Big feed. to here come also birds other Many

. . whitebeams Woods

leaflet to find out more? out find to leaflet

eigh eigh L and Houston’s , Wilmott’s , Bristol the

whilst you’re here. you’re whilst

Why not use the Downs meadow trail trail meadow Downs the use not Why nowhere else in the world! Amongst these are are these Amongst world! the in else nowhere

woodpeckers green and bullfinches as such

trees, some of which grow wild here and and here wild grow which of some trees,

on the Downs. Look out for unusual residents residents unusual for out Look Downs. the on

set seed we cut the meadows to make hay. hay. make to meadows the cut we seed set

It’s particularly famous for its whitebeam whitebeam its for famous particularly It’s

We’ve counted 35 species of bird breeding breeding bird of species 35 counted We’ve

After the plants have had time to flower and and flower to time had have plants the After

leaflet to find out more. out find to leaflet

all thrive here. thrive all thyme wild and harebell UK. the in sites botanical top the of one it making

Pick up a copy of the Peregrines of the Avon Gorge Gorge Avon the of Peregrines the of copy a up Pick

, , scabious , orchids as such kinds different Over 30 different kinds of rare plant grow here, here, grow plant rare of kinds different 30 Over

spectacular aerial displays visit in May and June. June. and May in visit displays aerial spectacular

areas are brimming with wildflowers. Many Many wildflowers. with brimming are areas below, rare wildflowers grow on the craggy ledges. ledges. craggy the on grow wildflowers rare below,

. For the best chance of seeing one of their their of one seeing of chance best the For . falcon

picnic? At this time of the year the meadow meadow the year the of time this At picnic? enjoy stunning views of the Avon Gorge. Just Just Gorge. Avon the of views stunning enjoy

peregrine peregrine a of sight catch to enough lucky

In summer why not come to the Downs for a a for Downs the to come not why summer In can you Seawalls and Hill Observatory From From the Peregrine Watch point you may be be may you point Watch Peregrine the From

Brilliant birds Brilliant Marvellous meadows Marvellous plants Gorgeous

s whitebeam whitebeam s ’ Wilmott Green woodpecker Green Bullfinch falcon Peregrine Harebell scabious Small Knapweed rock-cress Bristol whitebeam Bristol Discover the wildlife of the Avon Gorge and Downs

Silky wave As the crow flies Unique to the In late June and early July, look out The Downs are a great place for the rare silky wave moth. It’s for spotting members of the Gorge only found on two other sites in crow family. Look out for Four types of tree, Bristol, the UK. ravens, rooks, carrion crows, Wilmott’s, Houston’s and Raven Silky wave moth jackdaws, magpies and jays. Leigh Woods whitebeams, are endemic to the Gorge (i.e. they grow naturally here and nowhere else in the world). You can see some Goats in the Gully Bristol whitebeams here. Look out for our small herd of goats here. These ‘hairy conservationists’

are helping to make room for rare Jackdaw wildflowers by eating invasive woody

plants like scrub and bramble. Goat

Bristol whitebeam DURDHAM Super speedy DOWN Peregrine falcons have bred in the Gorge since 1990. These spectacularly fast falcons can often be seen from the Peregrine Watch point. Why not pick up a copy of the Peregrine leaflet to find out more about them?

Peregrine falcon Water Tower

Fieldfare Ladies Mile Bird café Seawalls River Avon Many birds come to the Downs to feed. In winter keep your eyes peeled for flocks of migrant The redwing and fieldfare. They Gully particularly like berries on the old hawthorn trees around the Downs.

Main Meadow CLIFTON Leigh Woods DOWN This side of the Gorge is managed by the National Trust Bluebell and the Forestry Commission. Peregrine Lovely lichens Watch Winter is the best time to spot strange and beautiful lichens growing on trees. Why not pick Bristol Zoo Gardens Ramalina farinacea up a copy of the Downs lichen Famous flora trail leaflet to find out more The Avon Gorge is home to about them? over 30 different kinds of rare plants. For at least 450 years plant lovers have been finding rarities such as honewort,

Autumn squill autumn squill, spiked speedwell and little robin AVON Meadow magic on its craggy ledges. GORGE The large areas of limestone grassland on the Downs are packed full of wildflowers such as bird’s-foot-trefoil, oxeye daisy and yellow rattle. Visit in the summer to see them at their best. Yellow rattle Don’t forget to leave the wildflowers for others True Bristolians to enjoy. Did you know that three rare plants living in the Gorge have

Bristol onion Bristol in their name? They are Bristol whitebeam, Bristol Observatory rock-cress and Bristol onion. Hill Special designations – what’s in a name? The Avon Gorge is such an important place for wildlife Clifton that it has been internationally recognised as a Special Suspension Area of Conservation (SAC) and nationally designated Bridge as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The Downs are a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI). Bristol rock-cress

Aerial photograph © Getmapping plc