Hampshire Wildlife Trust Reserve: Oxenbourne Down
Oxenbourne Down Yew woodland and flower rich grassland.Map Ref: SU 710 190, Landranger 185, Explorer 120
Wildlife: From the top of Butser Hill, the highest point on the Downs, spill deep coombes clad in a mixture of dense yew wood and rich grassland. The yew woods, which are restricted to the South Downs, are among the finest. Their gloomy shade and twisted forms give an impression of great antiquity, but stunted juniper bushes beneath are evidence that this was once chalk grassland. Little wildlife can survive the darkness and only a few ash and whitebeam now break the canopy.
Below the yew is mixed scrub, but much of the reserve is grassland with a notable colony of chalk-hill blue butterflies. On the tops a clay outcrop supports an even scarcer habitat, chalk heath with scattered gorse bushes. The steepest slopes are on chalk scree and they provide good conditions for many rare bryophytes and lichens. Breeding birds include blackcap, lesser whitethroat and nightingale.
Oxenbourne Down is a Hampshire Wildlife Trust reserve and management is aimed at maintaining a balance between the yew and the grassland by clearing scrub, and by sheep grazing.
Access: A permit, available free of charge from Hampshire Wildlife Trust headquarters in Eastleigh or from the Queen Elizabeth Country Park Centre, is needed for access.
Parking: There is a car park at Queen Elizabeth Country Park at SU 717 183; walk back under the A3 to find the bridleway to the reserve entrance. There is another car park on the top of Butser Hill at SU 712 201.
Directions: Oxenbourne Down is part of the Queen Elizabeth Country Park three miles south of Petersfield.
This document maintained by
Gerry Milner-Walker
Material Copyright © 2002 Hampshire Wildlife Trust and Gerry Milner-Walker