Swift Valley Nature Reserve

Swift Valley Faye Irvine

Faye Irvine

A charming reserve surprisingly tucked away in old countryside, on the outskirts of Rugby

Location

Just north of the centre of Rugby, access from A426 Leicester Road, take Lower Lodge Lane then follow Brownsover Lane.
What3Words: update.forgot.recall
Rugby
Warwickshire
CV21 1HU

OS Map Reference

SP 50597 77446
A static map of Swift Valley Nature Reserve

Know before you go

Size
24 hectares
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Parking information

There is a large car park with a height barrier of 2.1m off Brownsover Road

Grazing animals

Yes: April to November

Walking trails

View and download the map below to plan your walking route.

 Swift Valley reserve map 

Take in the views across the River Swift and a section of disused canal. See if you can spot a buzzard, garden warbler, moorhen, reed bunting or woodpecker. Relatively flat, access via kissing gate, soft patches.

Access

Relatively flat trails and soft ground. There are kissing gates at the site entrance and across the reserve.

Dogs

Dogs permitted

Please keep dogs under close control and be aware of grazing livestock.

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Facilities

Accessible trails

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

April to July

About the reserve

This reserve is a grassland with a pronounced ridge and furrow character. There are hedgerows, woodland and wetland adjacent to the River Swift and a disused canal.   With traditional pasture, small woods, hedges and landscaped wetlands the reserve invites lots of wildlife to make its home here.

The River Swift runs alongside with two pools, a marshy floodplain and a disused arm of the Oxford Canal add further interest.  

History of the reserve

Almost completely covered in ancient ridge and furrow plough markings, the land has been left unploughed since and has a long history as grazing pasture. The coarse grassland is filled with red fescue and Yorkshire-fog. Other wildflowers grow here, including meadow crane’s-bill, musk mallow and goat’s-beard.  

What's it like to visit?

The woodland is mainly oak trees with snowdrop and daffodil offering pretty springtime displays. Wetter areas are ideal for alder and willow trees. Ash and willow mingle with the hawthorn hedgerows.   The wetland habitats of the reserve are ideal for many dragonfly and damselfly species, with small red-eyed damselfly choosing Swift Valley – its first county site – in 2004. Nationally scarce soldier and longhorn beetles have even been recorded. Butterflies are also plentiful in the grassland, especially browns and skippers. Small copper and holly blue appear, while small tortoiseshell, peacock and red admiral benefit from all the nettles. The chimneysweeper moth breeds here, laying its eggs on the pignut where fat caterpillars later emerge.  The canal is lovely to visit in summer and yellow water-lily, watercress and celery-leaved buttercup relish growing in its muddy edges. 

Home to an excellent diversity of birds, the reserve boasts kestrel, hobby and sparrowhawk, which can regularly be seen hunting. Mute swans breed on the wetland as do mallard, tufted duck, coot, moorhen, lapwing and reed bunting. Snipe and various gulls visit the site in winter.    Rabbits and grey squirrel are numerous, with indications of red fox and mole. The rough grasslands hide a multitude of mice, voles and shrews, whose high pitched squeaking can often be heard.

What is there to do here?

  • Enjoy a summertime stroll by the canal
  • Look out for butterflies
  • Birdwatching
  • Become a minibeast detective
  • Spot birds of prey including kestrel, hobby or sparrowhawk

Reserve work party

There is a monthly work party of fantastic volunteers here at Swift Valley. They get hands-on looking after the reserve. 

If you're interested in volunteering please contact volunteering@wkwt.org.uk.   

Green and Healthy Rugby ran in 2016 introducing people to getting active outdoors at our reserves. There is strong evidence of the health and wellbeing benefits of getting active outside.   We hosted free taster sessions and had a great turnout with lots of people becoming regular volunteers. 

Love wildlife? Become a member and make a difference on your doorstep

As a member, your subscription will help look after local wildlife and our amazing nature reserves across Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull. You'll receive a range of benefits, including free entry to Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve, with member only free car parks where available, and our Wild Warwickshire magazine three times a year.

Become a member

Contact us

Karl Curtis
Contact number: 024 7630 2912
Contact email: enquiries@wkwt.org.uk

Environmental designation

Local Nature Reserve (LNR)

Location map

A map of Swift Valley

A map of Swift Valley

Download a large version of the Swift Valley map to print or store

Download here