The deep gullet along the length of the reserve was formed by ironstone extraction, which exposed limestone banks. Where these are damp they provide an ideal home for hart's-tongue fern, while the clearer slopes have typical an impressive display of limestone grassland.
The large pond on the reserve is unusual as it lies over contrasting acid and calcareous soils, and supports a wide range of plant and insect life. Great crested newts are known to breed in the pond and kingfishers are often seen.
The northern area known as Whitestones was formed from limestone spoil, and the young invading scrub makes an ideal habitat for a wide range of invertebrates including dingy and grizzled skippers, green hairstreak butterflies and ground beetles. Red kite is an increasingly common visitor, circling overhead.
The pond has an extensive reedbed and is home to a large colony of great crested newts.
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The map below is for indication purposes only and does not show the Wildlife Trusts definitive land boundary.