This page enables you to search for some of the best places to see wildlife in Leicestershire and Rutland. It's not comprehensive but we will keep adding new sites as we find more suitable sites. If you have a favourite site that you would like to see added, let us know. Did you know we can also set up Wild Place pages for private sites such as gardens, farms and company grounds? More about Wild Places.
To explore the Wild Places of Leicestershire and Rutland:
zoom into the map and click on any site to show its details below
use the filters below to find sites in your district or parish
type any part of the site name to search for a particular site
Just click on APPLY when you have entered your selection. Alternatively you can browse the full list below.
Key:Wild Places (outlined in orange); Public Rights of Way (green); county boundaries (blue), parish boundaries (lilac)
Designated a Local Wildlife Site in 2006, the road verge near The Grange in Pickworth stretches for 600 metres on the east side of the road and 520 metres on the west, and varies between 1 and 3 metres in width. The main habitat is mesotrophic grassland.
Evington’s moated site, known locally as Piggy's Hollow, is a substantial earthwork including a former moat and fishponds, lying on the southern edge of the village of Evington, immediately to the west of the parish church, St. Denys. It is the site of a moated manor house that was built by the Grey family of Codnor, Derbyshire, in the 13th century. It also adjoins the northwestern portion of Shady Lane Arboretum, and is an enclosed space with tall wild hedgerows, and mature stands of pines.
Pilton is a tiny hamlet set between Rutland Water (to the north) and the A47 (to the south), and is sited on high ground rising to 315ft. The oldest parts of the rubble and slate church date from the 13th century, but the church is usually locked. The small, pretty churchyard is elevated off the road, and contains a small variety of tree species (including Cedar (Cedrus libani) and Yew (Taxus bacatta).
This very attractive wood is dominated by Oak and Ash and has a wonderful show of spring flowers. It holds a few very old Oak trees with great character.
The ground flora is rich and diverse and many of the species are ancient woodland indicators.
This verge is being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council verges biodiversity trial. It was surveyed in 2021 by NatureSpot volunteers but we would welcome additional wildlife records from the community, whether plants, animals or fungi.
Pochin’s Bridge is a natural greenspace adjacent to a new housing development in South Wigston, situated to the north of the Grand Union Canal. It contains areas of young broadleaved plantation woodland and open grassland, adjacent to areas of woodland and scrub owned by Leicestershire County Council.
The small village of Preston is intersected by Uppingham Road/A6003, and is 2 miles north of Uppingham. St Peter and St Paul Church stands in the west of the village. The earliest sections of the church date from around 1150, and the church contains some middle-eastern influence and artifacts. Interestingly, the Cypress trees (Cupressus sempervirens) in the churchyard were grown from seed collected from the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem.
The village pond in Preston, Rutland, lies along the busy A6003 between Uppingham and Oakham. It is believed to be fed by a natural spring with an overflow pipe running beneath the road. The surrounding trees overhanging the pond have grown to reduce the light reaching the pond and are adding leaf litter which has resulted in the pond partially silting up. The parish council is intending to carry out a full refurbishment in 2019 in order to restore the pond, both as a wildlife habitat and as an attractive amenity for local people.
Woodland and hedges border the burial ground, and a meadow of primrose, cowslips and oxeye daisy has been sown and hundreds of native trees planted. Additional trees are being planted as more graves are used, to eventually create wildlife-rich woodland with flowery glades.
This nature reserve has been developed and is managed by the Leicestershire Wildfowlers Association. Most of the reserve is private (though permits can be purchased) but a public right of way runs through the site. It is a large area covering around 200 acres and comprises rough grassland, scrub and created wildflower meadows surrounding two central lakes. It is a very rich site for both birds and insects and one of the best areas for dragonflies in the two counties.
This site was created in 2012 by the Woodland Trust. It covers 186 hectares (460 acres) and is the centre-piece of a wide-ranging Jubilee Project carried out by The Woodland Trust to mark the 2012 Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The site incorporates a former opencast coal mine which now has a newly created lake, as well as former arable land and 7 hectares (17 acres) of existing ancient woodland and old hedgerows.
St. Bartholomew's Church originates from the 12th to 14th century and is grade 1 listed. It is surrounded by a sizeable churchyard, parts of which are being managed for wildlife. An area on the south side, facing Loughborough Road, is Church View Gardens, a lovely public open space which fuses traditional garden plants with native wildflowers and grasses.
This verge lies along the eastern side of Church Causeway backing onto the playing fields of Rawlins College. It is between 1 and 2 metres wide and backed by a mature hedge which includes Elm and Elder.
This verge is now being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council Verges Biodiversity Project. Mowing will cease between April and August to allow the grasses and wildflowers to grow and bloom. In some cases, verges may also have additional native wildflower species added, either as seed or as plug plants.
The verge will be surveyed in June by NatureSpot but we would welcome any wildlife records from the community, whether plants, animals or fungi.
This verge is now being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council Verges Biodiversity Project. Mowing will cease between April and August to allow the grasses and wildflowers to grow and bloom. In some cases, verges may also have additional native wildflower species added, either as seed or as plug plants.
The verge was surveyed in June by NatureSpot but we would welcome any wildlife records from the community, whether plants, animals or fungi.
This verge is now being managed to improve biodiversity as part of the County Council/Parish Council Verges Biodiversity Project. Mowing will cease between April and August to allow the grasses and wildflowers to grow and bloom. In some cases, verges may also have additional native wildflower species added, either as seed or as plug plants.
The verge will be surveyed in June by NatureSpot but we would welcome any wildlife records from the community, whether plants, animals or fungi.
Rally Park is an open space of about 3.75 hectares and is close to both the Old River Soar and the Leicester Branch of the Grand Union Canal. Its shape is still defined by the former railway line and sidings.
This is a large field owned by Jelsons Ltd but they were not allowed to develop it despite showing it as a new housing site in the late 1950’s early 60’s. The name is derived from the locals belief in the 1970’s that any purchaser, i.e. the Local Authority, would have to pay as if the land had had houses built on it!
