The Rattler is a former railway line, now managed by volunteers as an attractive nature walk leading into the heart of Wealdstone. It runs from Stanmore Golf Course, south to the centre of urban Wealdstone, where there are few accessible wildlife sites.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
The Rattler including Belmont Trail
Borough: Harrow
Grade: Local
Access: Free public access (part of site)
Area: 6.77 ha
Description
Wildlife
Alongside Stanmore Golf Course, it runs within a broad strip of mixed deciduous woodland, dominated by oak. Much of the rest of the Rattler comprises scrub, tall herbs and scattered trees, including cuttings overshadowed by hawthorn, silver birch, oak and other trees. More open areas support tall herbs and grassland, with wild flowers such as bird's-foot-trefoil, and hoary ragwort. One area to the north of Belmont car park may have been seeded in the past and is kept clear of scrub to allow plants such as viper's bugloss to flourish. Wealdstone Cemetery lies beside the Rattler near its southern end. The main wildlife value of the cemetery is its less-heavily managed marginal scrub and roughland areas, where the vegetation includes bird's-foot-trefoil, dog-rose and red clover.Facilities
No information available
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