Wild places

The Parish Church of St. Philip and St. James has Norman origins. A Yew tree outside the main entrance has been approximately dated and is believed to be around 2,000 years old, suggesting there may have been an older place of worship at this site. The churchyard is mainly mown grass with many headstones, the older ones are made of slate.

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.

Although called Ratby Meadow this site is actually located in the parish of Enderby. It is open access land consisting of a large grazing/hay field next to the River Soar and is prone to some flooding in winter.

This site was created as a flood storage area when the nearby houses were built. It borders a stream and a private woodland. The core of the site is a sunken basin but there is usually no standing water, except for during heavy rain periods. The centre supports Pendulous Sedge and rushes, as well as rough grassland. Several native shrubs are scattered around the site with a wilder area to the north which has become dense woodland.

This quiet country lane offers a lovely walk into the National Forest, with rolling hills, new woodland and a historic landscape around you. The lane only offers access to a few houses but there is a very small car park at Burroughs Wood. At the end of the lane there is a tarmac cycle path that weaves its way to Thornton Reservoir. It is just possible to glimpse Bury Camp, a large Iron Age settlement, now on private land about 150 metres from the road. 

Ratby Burroughs is in two parts: the southern part of fairly new plantations and the northern part, ancient woodlands with carpets of wood anemones and bluebells during the season. Both are part of the New National Forest.

This small fragment of ancient wood was extended by the Woodland Trust (sometimes called Hollow Oak Wood). It lies on a traditional walk route referred to as the 'Ratby Change' with a public footpath running through it.

Though much of the Park is mown grass, part is now being managed as meadow grassland. There is good wildlife habitat around the periphery, plus there are a number of scattered planted trees. The sustainable urban drainage (SUD) area, created to help store flood water, is a real wildlife gem and has even been designated as a Local Wildlife Site. The large but shallow pond is surrounded by a wildflower meadow, seeded onto the clay dug from the hole. Mature shrubs and trees enclose the whole site.

This stretch of disused railway line runs between Ratby and Glenfield. Though the original line is broken by an industrial estate a connecting path joins up the two parts. For most of its length it runs parallel with the Rothley Brook and the section that flows under the motorway is included in this site. Much of it is shaded by overhanging trees but in places there is a grassy flora and the bordering field margins add further interest.

This open space was established in 2022 as part of the adjacent housing development. As well as the children's playground and mown grass areas there is a pond/wetland created for storm water storage, an area of rough grassland bordered by Blackthorn scrub.

This open space borders Taverner Drive and incorporates the Ratby Community Orchard. The orchard has many varieties of apple trees and sits within a fenced area. Most of the site is grassland, now managed as a meadow, with a mown meandering path to provide access. The long northern boundary has an excellent native hedge and includes several mature trees.

This open space was created primarily for storm water storage, but the pond area remains damp at all times and provides excellent wetland habitat. Most of the surrounding banks and grass areas are mown. The site borders the M1 motorway, though this is hidden behind woodland.

A quality grassland meadow occupies most of the field but there is also a good-sized pond/marsh area that was created as a storm water retention area. Mature hedges border all sides with the Rothley Brook to the south. A small woodland planting is in one corner and includes Field Maple, Rowan, Dogwood, Silver Birch and Wild Cherry. Native hedges are on all four boundaries and comprise mainly Hawthorn and Blackthorn.

A path meanders through the site, connecting to the Ivanhoe Trail and also giving access to a bridge over the Rothley Brook.

This small, created pond sits in a triangle of meadow grassland and trees on the edge of Ratby. The pond itself supports a good variety of life and the surrounding habitats attracts birds and insects. We have set the boundary to include the adjacent meadow which has recently had paths added to provide public access. This field includes a drainage pond to capture and store water in times of heaving rain. The basin therefore offers an interesting marshy habitat, though it often dries out.

This site was established by Cawrey Homes and the National Forest along the line of the Burroughs Brook. It has newly planted woodland and rough grassland, bordered by mature hedges. A public footpath runs through the site which forms part of a circular walk from Ratby.

The churchyard of All Saints Church has both mown areas and less managed grassland where numerous wildflowers are allowed to mature. The hedges are also of good size and structure with several shrub species present and a few mature trees. The church itself was built in the early 14th century and has changed little in external appearance since that time.

Located just to the southwest of the village of Bagworth, on Barlestone Road, Reccy Wood and Laurel Farm collectively occupy an area of 21.05 acres, and are both broad-leaved woodlands. Laurel Farm is one of 250 woods planted by the Woodland Trust, under the millennium 'Woods on your Doorstep' initiative. The design includes an Oak tree planted within an open area to form a 'Millennium Feature'. Laurel Farm wood provides excellent views to the south and west of the site.

The village of Ridlington lies around 3-4 miles southwest of Rutland Water, just north of the A47. The village contains a number of honey-coloured stone buildings, and the church is no exception. The churchyard is fairly small, but has a number of trees and shrubs at the western end.