Eyco Hill’s natural history Eycott Hill Nature Reserve is 216 hectares of varied habitats from fl ower-rich meadows to wetlands, dwarf shrub heath and woodlands. Follow this trail to see some of the sights and wildlife at Eycott Hill Nature Reserve. Optionally, for a more in-depth experience, an activity sheet is available and can be used with this map. 3 Activities can begin where the tickbox is shown. 2 1 4 5 6 7 9 8 11 10 1. Droppings and pellets You may see many other fl ying insects June: mountain everlasting Poo and bird of prey pellets are great across the nature reserve. July – October: grass-of-Parnassus, evidence of wildlife; keep an eye out devil’s-bit scabious 5. Viewpoint and see if you can identify whose poo Near the summit of Eycott Hill juniper has you have found along the way. From here there is a great view of the nature been planted and is slowly expanding - reserve and surrounding fells. Notice the wall this native conifer is becoming a rare sight in 2. Limestone sinkholes and the fl oor of the viewpoint is made of the UK, so reintroductions are very important. As limestone reacts with rainwater, which is various diff erent rocks? Pale grey limestone, very weakly acidic, it dissolves to form hollows dark grey Skiddaw slate, and dark green, in the ground known as sinkholes. almost black volcanic rock; these all represent 9. Cooling columns the geology that makes up Eycott Hill. Have a look at the crags around the 3. Hay meadows 6. Birds summit. Here, small crystals show that Walking through hay meadows is very the lavas here cooled very quickly from The nature reserve is home to many destructive, for a closer look, please keep about 1,000°C forming rough, nearly wonderful birds, such as curlew, to edges of the fi elds. hexagonal cooling columns. meadow pipit and short-eared owl. 96% of hay meadows have vanished from the Listen for the inexhaustible call of the skylark. UK's landscape. One of the reasons for this is 10. Summit that hardly any farmers manage their fi elds for 7. Lava fl ows What a lovely view! How many fells can growing hay (a collection of wildfl ower and The path meanders around rock formations you count? Can you spot Blencathra and grasses which, when dried, can be fed to Great Mell Fell. Looking back to the car park, animals). Using fi elds in this way provides an that were formed by lava fl ows around 450 notice the lava ridges. ideal habitat for many wonderful invertebrates million years ago! who also provide birds with food. At Eycott Hill 8. Vegetation 11. Feldspar crystals we have restored six hectares into idyllic hay meadows by seeding and plug planting. There is a lot of interesting Please note: there is no vegetation at Eycott from wetland way-marked route to this 4. Invertebrates species, such as sedges and sphagnum area so extra care is needed. As you cross the bridge, keep an moss, to many seasonal plants, such as: Downhill from the summit are some eye out for large red damselfl ies and March: wood anemone of Eycott’s oldest lava fl ows, here you four-spotted chaser dragonfl ies. May: mountain pansy, common butterwort can see large and shiny feldspar crystals. Photo credits: Limestone sinkholes, Oscar Adams; Buzzard, Short eared owl, Amy Lewis; Skylark, Stefan Johansson; Mountain pansy, Philip Precey; Sphagnum moss, Vicky Nall. www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk Registered in England as Cumbria Wildlife Trust Limited, a Company Limited by Guarantee No. 00724133. Registered Charity No. 218711..