Twywell Hills and Dales

Location - Between Kettering and Thrapston

Where to park - Main car park at SP93787720

Parking Charge - No

Notable species - Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Green Hairstreak and Small Heath.

Formally a Wildlife Trust site, Twywell Hills and Dales is now managed by the Land Trust. The woodland known as the Twywell Plantation is managed by the Woodland Trust. Twywell Hills and Dales is an important site for many of our grassland species, especially the Dingy Skipper, the Grizzled Skipper and the Small Heath. The best area to look for these species is in the Whitestones section of the country park where the undulating landscape and fantastic conservation work carried out by volunteers at the site provides the ideal habitat for these butterflies. Green Hairstreaks can also be seen in spring and later in the year the grasslands are abound with the commoner butterflies with Marbled Whites often being recorded in large numbers. Silver-washed Fritillaries have been recorded in the Twywell Plantation and in 2018 a Purple Emperor was recorded there too. In recent years Dark Green Fritillaries have been recorded in the Whitestones section and the central meadow area but they remain quite a rare sight there.

For more information about Twywell Hills and Dales Country Park visit the Land Trust’s website

For more information about Twywell Plantation visit the Woodland Trust’s website