53. Discover the rare creatures living on Troopers Hill
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Visit Troopers Hill and discover the curious, exciting, interesting and strangely rare animals and plants in this area.Learning City
Why do it?
Check out the creepy crawlies and unusual plant life on top of the beautiful Troopers Hill - a hidden treasure three miles from the city centre. It’s home to a wide array of small invertebrates that live in the grassland and heathland; some of these are unique to Bristol and are rarely found anywhere else in the country. The especially hard sandstone underneath Troopers Hill means the soils there is really acidic which is rare in Bristol, this means there is an amazing range of plants that can’t be found anywhere else in the city. It has a fascinating history and rich wildlife, definitely worth a visit.
How to do this in Bristol
You’ve just got to get to Troopers Hill. Directions are here.
When you get there the place is filled with butterflies in the spring and summer. The grassland is home to thousands of crickets and grasshoppers that you can hear before you can see, adding to the chilled out summer atmosphere. As well as the large variety of butterflies there are also a large number of local rare species, 262 species were identified by local naturalists, 30 of which are considered to have conservation significance and 6 are considered to be rare in this country. In 2000 the mining bee, which is an endangered species, was also identified as a resident on top of Troopers Hill.
What you will need
- Suitable clothing for exploration
Taking it further
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