Open Countryside
Visit our areas of Open Countryside - unique, distinctive and rare. From the gently rolling chalk hills of The Chilterns, to the fine lowland landscapes that inspired painter John Constable, and the fragile heathland flora and fauna of The Brecks and Sandlings.
The Brecks
A unique mix of forest, heath and farmland - covering around 370 square miles (940 square kilometres) in both Norfolk and Suffolk. The landscape was created by prehistoric farmers as they cut back the trees to make clearings for crops, and by the constant grazing of sheep and rabbits. The latter was farmed from the 13th C. for its meat and fur in special enclosures called warrens. ‘Brecks' were temporary fields cultivated for a few years and then allowed to revert to heath once the soil (a mix of sand, chalk and flint) became exhausted. Sand storms were once a regular occurrence. During the 19th C. measures were taken to protect the topsoil - with farmers planting lines of Scots pine trees as windbreaks. Then in the 1920's, with the demand for more timber, the Forestry Commission purchased large areas of The Brecks to develop as Britain's largest lowland forest. Today the use of modern farming techniques has drastically changed the ancient character of the area, turning the sandy soils into productive agricultural land. The pockets of remaining heathland are fiercely protected and managed - a rich haven for many rare species of flora and fauna. Colourful Heather, Fingered Speedwell, Military Orchid and Breckland Thyme flourish here, alongside many insects (spiders, bees, ants), butterflies and moths, rabbits, Stone Curlew, Nightjar and Woodlark. There are also special features - ‘meres' whose water levels rise and fall, and ‘pingos', damp shallow craters left by retreating glaciers during the last Ice Age. The landscape is also dotted with historical sites - burial mounds, deserted villages and Neolithic flint mines, where the stone was dug for tools, flints and building material.
Key places of interest: East Wretham Heath, Knettishall Heath Country Park, Thompson Common, Weeting Heath National Nature Reserve, Cavenham Heath Nature Reserve
The Chilterns
Covering parts of both Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, this ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' is noted for its unspoilt landscape and rural character. Shaped by the last Ice Age, the gently rolling hills form part of a great chalk belt running from Dorset to Yorkshire. The area features both ancient woodlands of Oak, Ash and Cherry, alongside open grass and downland - where the chalk is exposed at the surface. In the 18th C. extensive Beechwoods were planted, with some of this valuable timber used in the local chair making industries. Set amongst the small, peaceful valleys are scattered farmsteads, rare chalk streams and attractive villages of brick and flint cottages. Whilst Britain's oldest road The Icknield Way (which dates back to Neolithic times) follows the ridge of the hills. Today this long distance footpath is lined with the remains of burial mounds and Iron Age forts. The Chilterns are rich in flora and fauna. In spring, the woodlands are carpeted with Bluebells; whilst in the autumn, the trees are turned to magnificent golden colours. On the chalk downland (grazed by livestock), the Pasque flower and several species of orchid attract many butterflies, such as the Chalkhill Blue. Look out also for the Red Kite (a bird of prey successfully reintroduced here in the 1990's), deer, wood-loving insects and various species of bats. Visitors can enjoy walking, cycling and horseriding routes.
Key places of interest: Tring Park, Ashridge Estate, Dunstable Downs, Blow's Downs Nature Reserve, Barton Hills National Nature Reserve
The pockets of heathland are fiercely protected and managed - a rich haven for many rare species of flora and fauna.
The Greensand Ridge
This narrow ridge of sandstone rises above the flat clay plains of Bedfordshire - running for about 40 miles (64 kilometres) from Leighton Buzzard to Gamlingay. Around 125 million years ago, this area was a shallow sea. Sand washed down from the land, settled on the sea bed, and over time hardened to form a sandstone. Later earth movements raised and tilted the beds of sand and sandstones to create the ridge we know today.
Iron deposits give the stone a distinctive rust-brown colour, and in some areas ‘glauconite' (an iron-bearing mineral) colours the stone an amazing green - the origin of the name ‘Greensand'. Today you can see it used in local villages, churches, walls and bridges. The ridge is well-wooded because the sandy soils derived from the greensand are low in nutrients, and so make poor agricultural land. Another key feature are numerous historic estates and parkland, such as Woburn.
Key places of interest: Woburn Abbey, Ampthill Park, Maulden Wood
The Dedham Vale
Designated as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' - the Dedham Vale sits on the borders of Essex and Suffolk, and has become famous worldwide through the paintings of John Constable (1776-1837). Many of the scenes which brought him inspiration can still be seen today, especially at Flatford, and along the river banks between here and Dedham. The area is characterised by some of the finest lowland landscape in England - the River Stour winding through undulating fields and meadows dotted with old trees and ancient woodlands. Lanes and hedgerows criss-cross the valley - adding to the timeless quality of the vale. Rich in flora and fauna, look out for the Black Poplar (Britain's rarest native tree), the Dormouse and Otter. The area is best discovered on foot or by bicycle.
The Sandlings
An area of lowland heaths - which once stretched right along the Suffolk coastline from Ipswich to Lowestoft. They were created by prehistoric farmers, as they cut back the trees to make clearings for crops. But the sandy soils were too poor for farming, and the area was later used for the grazing of sheep and rabbits. This prevented the trees from growing back, allowing heather, gorse and grasses to spread. Then in the 1920's - with the need for more timber, the Forestry Commission purchased large areas to develop as a forest. Today the use of modern farming techniques has drastically changed the ancient character of the area, turning the sandy soils into productive agricultural land. But the pockets of remaining heathland are fiercely protected and managed - a rich haven for many species of birds, insects, plants and reptiles. Various types of Gorse and Heather (Ling) cover the heaths, offering colour virtually all year round. Whilst areas of grassland are good for wildflowers. Clearings offer a valuable home to the Woodlark - and from May to September, the Nightjar, whose ‘churring' can be heard on summer evenings. Look out also for the Ant-lion, Dartford Warbler and Silver-Studded Blue Butterfly. The landscape is also dotted with historical sites, such as Sutton Hoo, the famous Anglo-Saxon royal burial ground.
Key places of interest: Walberswick Visitor Centre, Dunwich Heath: Coastal Centre and Beach, Sutton and Hollesley Commons
