About the reserve

Visitors can come to Coombe Bissett Down to enjoy sweeping views and the floristic richness of lowland calcareous grassland. 

Visit in late May and early June for a display of wildflowers, including delicate harebells, bee orchid, pyramidal orchid, devil’s-bit scabious and Wiltshire’s county flower - the burnt orchid. Yellowhammer, goldfinch, and skylarks are here. In the summer months the chalk downland comes alive with butterflies such as Adonis blue, chalkhill blue, dingy skipper and marbled white.

The history of this site goes back thousands of years: Neolithic Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Roman artefacts have all been uncovered in and around Coombe Bissett Down, and the steep slopes within the nature reserve are patterned by medieval terraces called strip lynchetts, which were used for livestock grazing. Today, our hardy Herdwick sheep and light-footed Dexter cattle maintain that low-intensity relationship between agriculture and wildlife, which is responsible for generating the rich diversity of plants, insects, and birds.

Butterfly BanksCoombe Bissett Down has 5 butterfly banks located in Gypsy Field. These chalk and earth banks provide valuable shelter, basking spots and food sources for butterflies. You can learn more about the banks here.