Rhos Fiddle

About the reserve

One of the quietest places in Shropshire, this heathland hilltop has a feeling of ancient wildness – a large surviving fragment that has retained its continuity with the past, in striking contrast to much of its surroundings, now vivid green agricultural pastures. The pools and surrounding wet heath make this a good place for wading birds, particularly curlew and snipe. Dragonflies are plentiful too, including the black darter. Find sphagnum mosses, cotton grass and bog asphodel in the wet bits; in April through to June look in the drier grassland for yellow mountain pansy, once a characteristic plant of many Shropshire’s hilltops but now scarce. For those unable to walk the tussocky terrain, the big skies and something of the atmosphere of this beautiful place can be appreciated from the edge of the road.   Directions Take the Crossways road out of Newcastle on Clun, fork left at Caldy Bank and carry on for 2 ¼ miles. Park on the grass on the left just before the second cattle grid.