Post by joe on Jun 9, 2010 13:32:23 GMT
As well as a grand Baroque mansion with a large natural history collection, Calke has
secret walled gardens and 600 acres of parkland, much of which is a National Nature
Reserve. The park is a rich and varied landscape of grassland, ponds and wood
pasture – one of the rarest habitats in Europe. You’ll also find majestic veteran trees
and some great ‘bug’-watching sites. There are no public roads at Calke so it is
perfect for a peaceful walk
Getting here…
Bike: National Cycle Network traffic-free route 5 ml away. See www.sustrans.org.uk
Buses/Rail: no.69/A Derby-Swadlincote bus (passing close to Derby ), alight Ticknall,
then 1½ ml walk through park to house. Burton-on-Trent is 10 ml away
Road: 10 ml south of Derby on A514 at Ticknall. M42/A42 exit 13 and A50 Derby South
Map & grid ref: OS Landranger 128: SK367226; Postcode: DE73 7LE
Facilities: Shop, parking (accessible), accessible WC, restaurant
Contact us: 01332 863822 or email: calkeabbey@nationaltrust.org.uk
Fallow deer inhabit the estate and are distinguished by their white spots. See males locking horns, calling females and scent-marking during the autumn rut.
The male azure damselfly is one of many that can be seen around the ponds at Calke. Others include the common blue and blue-tailed damselfly, and brown hawker dragonfly.
When Calke became a National Nature Reserve in 2006, there was a competition to name its oldest tree. Now known as the ‘Old Man of Calke’, this ancient oak is over 1,000 years old, but still grows healthily.
Distance, terrain and accessibility
This circular walk is 1½ ml (2½ km) and has stepped and
stoned paths, kissing gates and a stile. Enquire at property for
more accessible routes.
Route and directions
1. Begin at the main overflow car park and walk down the
steps to the ponds. Look for dragonflies in the summer.
Turn right and follow the deer fencing to the top of the hill,
until it meets the old park boundary wall.
2. Turn left away from the deer fence and follow the path near
the wall through the parkland and then along through the
Serpentine Wood. This is a good place to see bluebells in
spring. Also look for signs of badgers (paths, tracks and
diggings).
3. Go through the kissing gate and follow the woodland path,
which bears round to the left.
4. Come out of the wood into the Fisherman's car park. The
oldest tree in the park, The Old Man of Calke, is a short
way beyond the car park through the wooden gate.
5. Follow the stepped path down from the car park to Betty’s
Pond and go between the two ponds, then ascend the
steps over the stile. A number of Calke’s ancient trees
(some over 400 years old) can be seen around Betty’s
Pond.
Veteran trees sometimes have hollow trunks which can be
seen when the main truck has broken and/or ‘opened’.
Trees become hollow through a natural process of decay,
not because they are dying, but to increase their stability
(an empty vessel is more stable). Also notice the piles of
dead wood around the estate that provide an important
habitat for insects.
6. Follow the line of horse chestnuts all the way back to the starting car park.
maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108808843371699541752.000487fa2dee671645a2d&t=h&z=16
secret walled gardens and 600 acres of parkland, much of which is a National Nature
Reserve. The park is a rich and varied landscape of grassland, ponds and wood
pasture – one of the rarest habitats in Europe. You’ll also find majestic veteran trees
and some great ‘bug’-watching sites. There are no public roads at Calke so it is
perfect for a peaceful walk
Getting here…
Bike: National Cycle Network traffic-free route 5 ml away. See www.sustrans.org.uk
Buses/Rail: no.69/A Derby-Swadlincote bus (passing close to Derby ), alight Ticknall,
then 1½ ml walk through park to house. Burton-on-Trent is 10 ml away
Road: 10 ml south of Derby on A514 at Ticknall. M42/A42 exit 13 and A50 Derby South
Map & grid ref: OS Landranger 128: SK367226; Postcode: DE73 7LE
Facilities: Shop, parking (accessible), accessible WC, restaurant
Contact us: 01332 863822 or email: calkeabbey@nationaltrust.org.uk
- Wood pasture: This is a rare habitat found in ancient parkland which has open
structured woodland. The area around the trees is grazed and this benefits wildlife
including many grassland flowers and fungi. The ancient trees support a huge diversity
of insects and rare fungi such as the oak polypore. Calke has some of the oldest trees
in Europe including one oak that is over 1,000 years old. The ancient trees provide an
‘island’ habitat for species that have survived since the last Ice Age. - Flora: Plant life in the woods include yellow archangel and bluebells, with the
grasslands supporting plants like self-heal and sheep’s sorrel in the summer. - Birds: Birds of prey such as hobby, buzzard and occasionally red kite. Tree holes
provide nesting sites for many woodland birds including great spotted and green
woodpecker, tree creeper, nuthatch, starling and tits. - Animals: Over half the UK’s 16 bat species have been recorded here, including the
serotine, a rarity in this area. The rough grassland is home to field vole, shrew and
wood mouse. Weasels and stoats are sometimes seen too. Badgers live in the
woodland. Livestock includes longhorn cattle, mule and Portland sheep (an ancient and
rare breed - both sexes have impressive horns). - Insects: Calke is Britain’s 10th best site for invertebrates living on dead wood, and host
to over 350 beetles including the wasp beetle that mimics a wasp in order to avoid being
preyed upon
Fallow deer inhabit the estate and are distinguished by their white spots. See males locking horns, calling females and scent-marking during the autumn rut.
The male azure damselfly is one of many that can be seen around the ponds at Calke. Others include the common blue and blue-tailed damselfly, and brown hawker dragonfly.
When Calke became a National Nature Reserve in 2006, there was a competition to name its oldest tree. Now known as the ‘Old Man of Calke’, this ancient oak is over 1,000 years old, but still grows healthily.
Distance, terrain and accessibility
This circular walk is 1½ ml (2½ km) and has stepped and
stoned paths, kissing gates and a stile. Enquire at property for
more accessible routes.
Route and directions
1. Begin at the main overflow car park and walk down the
steps to the ponds. Look for dragonflies in the summer.
Turn right and follow the deer fencing to the top of the hill,
until it meets the old park boundary wall.
2. Turn left away from the deer fence and follow the path near
the wall through the parkland and then along through the
Serpentine Wood. This is a good place to see bluebells in
spring. Also look for signs of badgers (paths, tracks and
diggings).
3. Go through the kissing gate and follow the woodland path,
which bears round to the left.
4. Come out of the wood into the Fisherman's car park. The
oldest tree in the park, The Old Man of Calke, is a short
way beyond the car park through the wooden gate.
5. Follow the stepped path down from the car park to Betty’s
Pond and go between the two ponds, then ascend the
steps over the stile. A number of Calke’s ancient trees
(some over 400 years old) can be seen around Betty’s
Pond.
Veteran trees sometimes have hollow trunks which can be
seen when the main truck has broken and/or ‘opened’.
Trees become hollow through a natural process of decay,
not because they are dying, but to increase their stability
(an empty vessel is more stable). Also notice the piles of
dead wood around the estate that provide an important
habitat for insects.
6. Follow the line of horse chestnuts all the way back to the starting car park.
maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108808843371699541752.000487fa2dee671645a2d&t=h&z=16