LIVING LANDSCAPE
The Wye Valley’s ancient woodland and steep valley sides are home to a wide variety of thriving flora and fauna. The Wye Gorge, a Special Area of Conservation, is a popular hangout for bats, with the lesser horseshoe and greater horseshoe varieties enjoying the tall hedgerows and unimproved pastures. When undertaking one of many walks, you’re likely to stumble across fallow deer or, if you’re lucky, the more elusive roe, muntjac or red deer. For well over 200 years, visitors to the Lower Wye Valley have been charmed by the diversity of woodland. As well as ancient oaks, narrow-lipped helleborine and three types of scarce whitebeam, rare ghost orchids have been spotted. Peregrine falcons nest in the limestone cliffs of Coldwell Rocks, while the nightjar has benefited from heathland restoration initiatives in Beacon Hill, Broad Meend and Tidenham Chase.