Common Hill Nature Reserve, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust

Common Hill Nature Reserve is comprised of four small parcels of land; Monument Hill, Round's Meadow, North Meadow and Old Cider House. All are rich in wildflowers in spring and summer while Old Cider House and North Meadow also hold traditional orchards. Common Hill was common land until the early Nineteenth century, by which time most of it had been enclosed into small holdings. Today, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust manages the site as traditional orchards, meadows and pasture. Meadow flowers and plants to look out for in particular include the tiny adder's tongue fern, common spotted orchid, yellow rattle, masses of cowslips in spring, quaking grass, common rock-rose, wild thyme and milkwort. The sunny, sheltered conditions here also create ideal conditions for many insect species and over 20 kinds of butterfly have been recorded here including dingy skipper, wood white, marbled white and pearl-bordered fritillary.