This is a delightful stretch of countryside on the southern slopes of Mill Hill. Although surrounded on three sides by housing, the site has retained a remarkably rural quality. It presents one of London’s best examples of a traditionally managed old hay meadow. The site is composed of a large area of grassland divided by old hedgerows. It has free public access.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Arrandene Open Space and Featherstone Hill
Borough: Barnet
Grade: Metropolitan
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 24.51 ha
Description
Wildlife
In summer the fields are a blaze of colourful wildflowers. The meadow area contains numerous plants characteristic of uncultivated grassland, including both greater and common bird's-foot-trefoils, common knapweed, ox-eye daisy, common sorrel and several different types of buttercups; together with a number of locally uncommon species such as sneezewort, ragged-robin, adder's-tongue fern, pepper-saxifrage and oval and grey sedges. The old hedgerows include the uncommon wild service-tree.Spotted flycatcher, lesser whitethroat, reed bunting and skylark are some of the breeding birds on the site. Snipe and woodcock are occasionally flushed from ditches in winter. Reptiles include slow-worm and grass snake, and there is a bustling rabbit warren here too.Facilities
Information (on signs); horse-riding.
Wild service-tree © Mike Waite
Wildflower meadows at Arrandene Open Space © Jan Hewlett
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