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Larks Hill

Orchard at Larks Hill
Larks Hill is a 6.7 hectare (16.5 acre) public open space situated off Harvest Ride in Warfield. It was named due to the presence of skylarks and other farmland birds on the site. It now forms an important countryside link between the town and rural parishes, with fine views over the surrounding countryside.

Facilities

Larks Hill has:

  • 2 grazing paddocks where cows graze between July and October
  • a colourful show of traditional annual flora of arable farmland, including corn marigold, corncockle, corn chamomile, cornflower and sunflowers
  • a community orchard of around 100 apple, pear and plum trees
  • a sarsen (sandstone block) boulder known as The Quelm Stone

How to get to Larks Hill

By car

You can access the site from Larks Hill car park, Warfield. The closest postcode is RG42 2QD.  Please note that the site is off Harvest Ride, near the Quelm Park roundabout.

The grid reference is: SU 87052 70812.

By foot

Six pedestrian access points lead onto Larks Hill's hoggin paths which are predominantly suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs (although some may become soft in wet weather).

Park management

Larks Hill contains 2 grazing paddocks where cows graze between July and October. This avoids the majority of the nesting season and the cows are moved elsewhere before the site is overgrazed, leaving suitable ground cover for the birds.

The spring barley compartment provides an agricultural habitat of value to the key farmland songbirds, including skylarks and wintering flocks of buntings and finches

Wildlife

Species previously recorded on site include:

  • skylark
  • bullfinch
  • barn owl
  • hobby
  • cowslip
  • wild service tree

During the bird breeding season, March to July, members of the public are asked to keep dogs on leads at Larks Hill.