Description
Recently expanded from the original Stiperstones NNR the reserve now stretches for 9 miles from Pontesford Hill in the north to Heath Mynd in the south. The original NNR which is managed by Natural England is of European importance for its upland heathland and upland oak woodland. A rich variety of upland and hillside birds, many of which are now scarce in the surrounding hill land, are found here reflecting the mosaic of upland habitats present.
The site is also known for its geology, particularly the 480 million year old Stiperstones quartzite outcrops and the stone stripes running down the hill. Lead has been mined in the area since Roman times and evidence of the mining and settlement are everywhere and have influenced the habitats that are now found on the hill, from coppiced woodlands to grassland paddocks and hay fields.
The expanded NNR includes ancient holly trees, wet fen and rush pasture, conifer woodland being reverted to broadleaf, orchid rich hay meadows and more hill land including Pontesford Hill.
Habitats
The original reserve was predominantly upland heath made up of a rich tapestry of heathers and other dwarf shrubs. This heathland continues to the south, however to the north more woodland now is included ranging from the upland oak dominated woods on the hill sides down to more varied woodlands in the Hope Valley. The grassland interest similarly ranges from the acid grasslands on the hills down to neutral grasslands in the valleys.
Although the hills are well drained and predominantly support dry heath, a number of springs emerge particularly on the east side of the hills, which feed small but diverse wetland flushes of particular interest.
The hillside habitats vary with aspect, slope, depth of soil and grazing pressure, with often a mosaic of gorse scrub, bracken, heather and small trees, known as ffridd, providing a range of nesting areas for birds, repilies and insects.
At the Hollies there is an area of ‘holly parkland’ of great antiquity thought to have the oldest holly trees in the UK.
Upland heathland
The Stiperstones ridge supports extensive and varied heathland vegetation showing transitions between southern lowland and northern upland heaths. The heathland vegetation varies particularly with soil depth, altitude and aspect. This is particularly evident in the steep sided valleys on the western side of the hill where bell heather and western gorse are characteristic of the rocky south facing slopes. In contrast, bilberry is particularly abundant on north facing slopes. On higher ground, common heather, cowberry and crowberry are the main plants making up the heathland.
Upland woodland
At Resting Hill there is a sizeable area of upland sessile oak woodland, some of which is under coppice rotation. On the lower slopes surrounding the ridge there are areas of birch and rowan woodland.
Acid grassland
The acidic grasslands of this site are of special regional importance and were once much more widely found in the Shropshire Hills and across into Wales. They are typically rich in species such as heath bedstraw and tormentil and some are awash in yellow mounatin pansies in early summer and very rich in grassland fungi, especially waxcaps, in the autumn.
Upland wet fen and rush pasture
In a charactersitically well drained terrain, any areas of wet habitat are going to be particularly important. Where the springs emerge from the hill flushes of wet fen vegetation occur. The plants found in these flushes vary depending upon the acidity of the water.
Ffridd
Around the edges of the hills are patches of gorse and broom scrub, which form a mosaic with bracken and succesional trees such as rowan and hawthorn. This is a habitat rich in nesting birds and reliant upon extensive grazing ideally with cattle.
Rock and scree
This is a classic geological site with rock exposures formed in the early Ordovician Period. The ridge is formed of durable Stiperstones Quartzite whereas the remainder of the site is underlain by Mytton Flags and Tankerville Flags.
The tors and boulders of the upper slopes provide important habitat for several species of moss and also support a diverse lichen flora.
The tors and scree provide an excellent assemblage of frost shattered and frost sorted features formed during the last glaciation when the area lay adjacent to the ice sheet margins.
Many of the derelict mine shafts and adits provide important winter roosts for several species of bat including lesser horseshoe bats.
Neutral grassland
The two main areas of flower rich haymeadows are Pennerley Meadows and Minsterley Meadows. Both have been managed as traditional hay meadows for a long time with little to no fertiliser and as such are a reic of past agricultural management. Both sites are rich in hay meadow flowers with the former being known for its greater butterfly orchids and the latter for its green-winged orchids.
Holly parkland
The Hollies, is an area of ‘holly parkland’ of great antiquity and considered to be unique for both its size and for the age of its holly trees. These trees, which have unusually large girths, are at least 250 years old. However, many of the largest trees are likely to be over 300 years, and some possibly as old as 400 years. As well as being recognized as one of the oldest stands of holly in Europe, the hollies are considered to be amongst the oldest trees of any species in Britain. In the past the holly trees were pollarded to provide winter fodder, and as a result of this type of management they have often rotten centres in which rowan trees have become established.
Key species
Heathers and other dwarf shrubs
The upland heathland is made up of a variety of dwarf shrubs including common heather, bell heather, bilberry (known locally as whinberry), cowberry and crowberry.
Cotton grass
Always impressive when flowering, the cotton grass looks like summer snow. It is found in wetter areas of the heath around the Devil’s Chair.
Birdlife (cuckoo, snipe, stonechat, curlew)
The site is important for its upland and ffridd breeding birds and for many it is one of the few refuges left in the Shropshire Hills. The most common birds are meadow pipits which attract a good number of cuckoos to the site. Skylarks, stonechats and linnets are easily seen while others like snipe and nightjar are more elusive. Red grouse can often be heard in spring and this is the furthest south this bird naturally occurs in England.
Mountain pansies
Swathes of yellow mountain pansies are still present on some of the acid grasslands, where they have been lost from most of the Shropshire Hills.
Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary
This GB red listed butterfly frequents the wet flushes on the East of the Stiperstones where its marsh violet food plant grows.
Waxcaps
In autumn the grasslands are littered with the primary colours of waxcaps and other grassland fungi.
Green winged orchid
Minsterley Meadows, a recent addition to the NNR is the best place to see this species in Shropshire. It flowers relatively early and May is generally the best time to see them in their full glory.
The meadows at Pennerley have the later flowering greater butterfly and common spotted orchids.
Pied flycatchers
Helped along by nest boxes this summer visitor frequents the upland oak woodlands along with redstarts and the occasional wood warbler.
Grayling
This endangered butterfly is very camouflaged when at rest so is sometimes difficult to spot. Its caterpillars feed on the fine grasses often found on old mine sites such as at The Bog.
Dormouse
Found in the more lowland woods of the site particularly in the Hope Valley.
Hairy wood ant
A northern insect on the edge of its range, like all wood ants it builds large nest mounds and is seen as a keystone species in the upland woodlands.
Bilberry bumblebee
Also known as the mountain bumblebee. This delightful bee splits its time between the heath and surrounding hay meadows depending upon where the richest nectar sources are.
Golden ringed dragonfly
The longest dragonfly in the UK, it is generally found near to wet flushes but will fly over the heathland.
Bats
Eight species of bat frequent the Stiperstones including lesser horseshoe bats that use the abandoned mines as winter roosts.
Further info & how to get there
Natural England’s West Midland NNRs: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shropshires-national-nature-reserves/shropshires-national-nature-reserves
Shropshire’s Great Outdoors: https://www.shropshiresgreatoutdoors.co.uk/site/stiperstones-national-nature-reserve-nnr/
Blog post: https://englandsnationalnaturereserves.co.uk/2026/04/03/the-first-nnr-page-the-stiperstones/
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