Castle Bottom Nnr

Castle Bottom is a British national nature reserve located near Yateley in Hampshire. The reserve is a designated a Special Protection Area (SPA) and is an example of a Thames Basin Heath. The site is owned by Hampshire County CouncilGeographyThe nature reserve is situated south-west of Yateley and is on the north-west border of Blackbushe Airport. The reserve is a small lowland site of around 29ha, containing two valley mires, with heathland and woodland habitats. Each of the valley mires has an acidic stream running through them. HistoryThere is evidence that the area was used by humans as far back as 1800 to 550 BC, with discovery of some ancient burial mounds. There is evidence of banks being built in the Western Mire, but it is not possible to date exactly when they were builtThe land was owned by the Bramshill estate until 1952, when it was sold. The land was last owned by a manufacturer of quarry equipment before the council purchased the site. In the early 20th century two cottages were built on the north border of the reserve. Used until the 1960s, they are now ruins. FaunaThe nature reserve has the following fauna: MammalsNew Forest ponyEuropean water voleEuropean badgerCommon noctuleCommon pipistrelle

Castle Bottom is a British national nature reserve located near Yateley in Hampshire. The reserve is a designated a Special Protection Area (SPA) and is an example of a Thames Basin Heath. The site is owned by Hampshire County CouncilGeographyThe nature reserve is situated south-west of Yateley and is on the north-west border of Blackbushe Airport. The reserve is a small lowland site of around 29ha, containing two valley mires, with heathland and woodland habitats. Each of the valley mires has an acidic stream running through them. HistoryThere is evidence that the area was used by humans as far back as 1800 to 550 BC, with discovery of some ancient burial mounds. There is evidence of banks being built in the Western Mire, but it is not possible to date exactly when they were builtThe land was owned by the Bramshill estate until 1952, when it was sold. The land was last owned by a manufacturer of quarry equipment before the council purchased the site. In the early 20th century two cottages were built on the north border of the reserve. Used until the 1960s, they are now ruins. FaunaThe nature reserve has the following fauna: MammalsNew Forest ponyEuropean water voleEuropean badgerCommon noctuleCommon pipistrelle