Avon Heath CP South

Avon Heath Country Park South

Starting Point and Car Park:	SU121023. Tractor Shed Gate, off Boundary Lane. Park at Avon Heath Country Park Visitor Centre (SU122029) off the A31, then walk via Bridleway to Tractor Shed Gate at the start of Section 1. At the time of writing, there is a parking fee at the Visitor Centre.
Region:	East
Length of Walk:	2.5km
Time to do Walk:	40 minutes
Physical Severity of Walk:
Number of Sections:	7
Restrictions:
Habitat:	Heathland
Site Owner:	Dorset CC, RSPB
Target Species of Butterfly:	Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Green Hairstreak, Small Copper, Silver-studded Blue, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Wall, Marbled White, Grayling, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Ringlet
Transect Contact:	Bill Shreeves
Other:

Start: Entrance gate.
Route: Follow the main track S, continue straight ahead past the tractor shed and through the main area of open grassland on the ain worn track.
Length: 565m
Finish: Where grassland vegetation changes to heathland vegetation either side of track.
Description: Acid Grassland with scattered pines, heath and scrub.

Start: Where grassland vegetation changes to heathland vegetation either side of track.
Route: Follow main track past notice board and trail board (No 7) continuing down the slope.
Length: 220m
Finish: Where track forks in front of sheep grazing area gate.
Description: Open heathland with scattered pines and scrub.

Start: Where track forks in front of sheep trail board.
Route: Follow the track to the left, parallel to the to the sheep grazing area fence. At the trail board (No 9) turn left up the track parallel to the fence of Pine Copse Horse field.
Length: 345m
Finish: Between mature pines and birch were heath vegetation finishes.
Description: Open heathland with scattered pines and scrub.

Start: Between mature pines and birch were heath vegetation finishes.
Route: Follow the track which is fairly serpentine through the scrub
Length: 275m
Finish: At SW corner of Tumuli Field, 10m from NW corner of Pine Copse.
Description: Acid grassland, Damp grassland with scattered Scrub and Heath.

Start: At SW corner of Tumuli Field, 10m from NW corner of Pine Copse.
Route: Follow track anti-clockwise around Tumuli Field; parallel to top of Pine Copse, past trail board No 11, parallel to Trig Hill fencing, past trail board No 12 and down the slope along the edge of Tumuli Plantation, past trail board No5, parallel to fencing of sheep field.
Length: 760m
Finish: Corner of sheep field 5m past metal gate.
Description: Acid Grassland and Heath mosaic with some scrub.

Start: Corner of sheep field 5m past metal gate.
Route: Turn right at fence corner and follow track along fence line and then through wood.
Length: 135m
Finish: Edge of wood, next to sign board.
Description: Pine Woodland and Pine Woodland/Improved Pasture edge.

Start: Edge of wood, next to sign board.
Route: Follow track straight on towards caravan, then bear left towards right of tractor shed.
Length: 255m
Finish: Where track intersects main track of section 1 about 45m right (N) of tractor shed, between two gorse clumps.
Description: Acid Grassland with scattered Scrub.

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