Quants nature reserve is a 34-acre site on the Blackdown Hills’ northern escarpment, well known for its butterflies and bats. Roe deer, badgers and adders are also found here. In addition to the interesting mixture of habitats the site has an interesting second world war history, with excavations and tunnels built for a planned reservoir.
Type of habitat:
Ancient woodland, fragments of lowland heath, lime rich unimproved grassland.
Look out for:
Black knapweed, devil’s-bit scabious, cowslips, common spotted orchids, common centaury, speedwells, and a good range of grassland butterflies. In the wood: sanicle, early purple orchids, moschatel, sweet woodruff.
Designation:
Special Area of Conservation
Butterfly Conservation reserve (southern half)
Somerset Wildlife Trust nature reserve (northern half)
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Managed/owned by:
The northern section is owned and managed by Forestry England.
The southern end is owned by Somerset Wildlife Trust (SWT) and managed by both SWT and Butterfly Conservation.
Best time to visit:
May to September
Location:
Grid reference: ST186177
Nearest postcode: TA3 7SU
Parking/access:
Open Access. Space for at least four cars to park at the entrance to the site. Very steep in places. Good footwear recommended.
