Stockwood Open Space Local Nature Reserve

Stockwood Open Space is an area of former farmland situated on the edge of Bristol. It is a treasure trove of old meadows, hedgerows, ponds and woodland. With kestrels, butterflies, glow-worms and foxes, and a wealth of wildflowers, Stockwood Open Space is one of the most exciting places to see and enjoy wildlife in the city.

The site is managed in partnership with the Avon Wildlife Trust.

Visitor information

Location

The site is in Stockwood, south east Bristol. The two main access points are beside Brislington School at Hungerford Gardens and The Coots, Stockwood. Alternative entrances include Whittock Road, Stockwood Road and Holsom Close (BS14 8XX)

Accessibility

Tarmac paths provide access for wheelchairs and there are cycle paths across the nature reserve.

Opening hours

Stockwood Open Space is open all year round.

Toilets

There are no public toilet facilities at Stockwood Open Space Local Nature Reserve. The nearest toilets are at Brislington Park & Ride and Tesco.

What to see and when

Spring

• Enjoy the yellow flower of cowslips.
• Listen to the call of the cuckoo.
• The wood is carpeted with bluebells and wood anemone.
• Try to spot the rare Bath asparagus.
• Willow warblers, garden warblers, blackcap and whitethroat visit the scrubby areas.
• Ponds are the breeding grounds for frogs, toads and newts. Look out for the return of the summer migrants - chiffchaffs, blackcaps and whitethroats.

Summer

• Meadows are full of colour with dyer’s greenweed, oxeye daisy and birds-foot trefoil.
• Look out for the multitude of butterflies - meadow browns, marbled whites, brimstones and common blues.
• Look for glow worms at dusk in the open grass or hedges.
• Flowering bee, pyramidal and southern marsh orchids.
• Cowslip, dyer's greenwood and birds-foot trefoil provide splashes of yellow here in summer and corky fruited water dropwort.
• Dark bush crickets begin to stridulate in late afternoon and continue doing so into the night.
• These crickets may often be observed sunning themselves or displaying courtship behaviour on brambles, nettles or other low vegetation. Also notable species long and short winged coneheads, rufous grasshopper.
• Dragon and damselflies around the ponds - southern hawker, common darter and azure damselfly.

Autumn

• Early mornings may be rewarded by the sight of a roe deer feeding.
• Marvel at the apples and pears on the orchard area of the site.
• Now is the chance to see a variety of mosses and lichens draped over the trees and branches, usually hidden by foliage.

Winter

• Wintering birds: robin, wren, song thrush, blue tit, bullfinch.

History

Once part of a working farm, Stockwood Open Space fell into disuse with the expansion of south east Bristol and the construction of the housing estates at Stockwood. It was bought by the council who turned it into a public open space. Avon Wildlife Trust took over management in 1981 and it is now jointly managed by the council and the Trust.

Special designations/awards

Site of Nature Conservation Interest - a designation used in many parts of the United Kingdom to protect areas of importance for wildlife at a county scale.

Community engagement

Stockwood Open Space needs a lot of care and attention to keep it at its best for wildlife. The Avon Wildlife Trust has an active volunteer group who gets involved with the maintenance of the site. Please contact the volunteering team at Avon Wildlife Trust for further information.