Welcombe Hills and Clopton Park

Welcombe Hills Kate Sugden

Kate Sugden

Welcombe Hills and Clopton Park

Perfect reserve for walking and taking in the views across the landscape with flower-rich grassland, woods and ponds

Location

Close to the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon
What3Words: back.massing.lyricism
Stratford-on-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 6XZ

OS Map Reference

SP 205 565
A static map of Welcombe Hills and Clopton Park

Know before you go

Size
60 hectares
P

Parking information

Parking is available on Maidenhead Road, Clopton. Parking is time restricted.

Grazing animals

Cattle: Apr - Oct

Walking trails

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

 Welcombe Hills reserve map 

A series of informal paths criss-cross the grassland, some are steep in places but well worth the climb for the wonderful views from the highest points, which include the impressive obelisk.

Access

Steep slopes in parts, access via kissing gates. 

Dogs

Dogs permitted

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

March to October

About the reserve

What's it like to visit?

The Welcombe Hills and Clopton Park offer delightful walks through grassland and woodland. Woolly thistle, quaking-grass and the diminutive adder’s-tongue grow in the grasslands where ant hills created by yellow meadow ants are a distinctive feature. The woodland contains oak, horse-chestnut and beech with English elm. Birds are plentiful, with great spotted woodpecker, sparrowhawk, little owl, treecreeper and finches enjoying the woodland where ravens breed in spring. Brimstone butterflies are numerous in the spring sunshine.   

What can you do here?

Enjoy a peaceful, woodland walk and listen to the audio trail to discover the
reserve’s secrets.

History of the Welcombe Hills: a Shakespearean tale

The reserve may have got its name from a historic well found here with its inscription 'SJC 1686'. Margaret, daughter of William Clopton who died in 1592 supposedly drowned here. It was around this time that Shakespeare was writing his famous play, Hamlet, and its believed that this tragic event provided the inspiration for his 'Ophelia' and her lonely death.  

What you can do here

Volunteer work party at this reserve!

Meet monthly on a Friday: 

  • Try out conservation tasks on your local nature reserve
  • Meet new people and make new friends!
  • Help protect wildlife and restore wildflower meadows
  • Do your bit for your local community
  • No prior experience or minimum commitment required

Want to find out more?

Let us know you’re interested! Email volunteer@wkwt.org.uk or call 024 7630 2912. 

Audio trail

In the spring of 2016, a unique partnership project from Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Playbox Theatre and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust completed an audio trail across the Welcombe Hills. The project was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The audio trail can be listened to here. 

For more information about the Welcombe Hills, we recommend Gavin Griffiths' website www.thewelcombehills.co.uk.

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 Welcombe Hills

A map of Welcombe Hills

Download a large version of the Welcombe Hills map to print or store

Download here
Welcombe Hills Kate Sugden view

Kate Sugden

Enjoy an audio tour of the Welcombe hills

Discover the trail