Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve (NNR), around 2 miles north of the village of Silverdale, is a rich mosaic of limestone habitats, including the most notable limestone pavement flora in Britain.

Plants such as Herb Robert, Tutsan, the rare Ridged Buckler Fern, Limestone Fern and Dark-red Helleborine are just some of the interesting species you can spot at Gait Barrows, which also has a very rich fungi flora, with over 1,600 species recorded.

Some of the rich wildlife the reserve supports include birds such as Green Woodpecker, Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Bittern and Marsh Harrier; Dragonfly and Damsonfly; Wood Ants and the rare Narrow-mouthed Whorl Snail.

Around 800 species of moth have been recorded on the reserve, including the rare Silky Wainscot and butterflies such as the Duke of Burgundy, High Brown and Pearl-bordered Fritillary are also present.

The best time to visit the reserve is spring and summer for flowering plants and it is excellent all year round for woodland birds.

Access to the reserve is by permit only due to the highly sensitive nature of the habitats. Details about obtaining a permit can be found by contacting English Nature’s Cheshire to Lancashire team.