Altar Stones
Selected Wild Place / Other Wild Places / Public Rights of Way / VC55 boundary
The site is located on the outskirts of Markfield, about 13km to the north of Leicester, very near to junction 22 on the M1. Heading towards the M1 on the A50, turn off at the Field Head roundabout and take the second left towards Markfield. Past the village the road turns a sharp left, go straight across onto Altar Stones Lane and the site is on your right.
Total species seen at this site: 212
The site is a rocky hill with rough heath grassland, stone walls and rocky outcrops. It combines the former Altar Stones Country Park with the adjacent Blacksmith's Field (named after the blacksmith's shop that was located on the corner of the site.
Amongst the heath grassland there is Tormentil, Bilberry and Heath Bedstraw. There are several small ponds and small hollows that are dominated by Soft Rush and Wavy Hair Grass.
| Common Name | Latin Name | Date Recorded | Recorded By | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Heath | Coenonympha pamphilus | 20/05/2020 | hughes.s16@sky.com | |
| Mistle Thrush | Turdus viscivorus | 17/05/2020 | GavinGamble | |
| Small Heath | Coenonympha pamphilus | 17/05/2020 | GavinGamble | |
| Mouse-ear-hawkweed | Pilosella officinarum | 17/05/2020 | GavinGamble | |
| Bluebell | Hyacinthoides non-scripta | 17/05/2020 | GavinGamble | |
| Buzzard | Buteo buteo | 17/05/2020 | GavinGamble | |
| Whitethroat | Sylvia communis | 17/05/2020 | GavinGamble | |
| Formica lemani | 17/05/2020 | GavinGamble | ||
| Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus collybita | 01/05/2020 | David Nicholls | |
| Willow Warbler | Phylloscopus trochilus | 01/05/2020 | David Nicholls | |
| Foxglove | Digitalis purpurea | 01/05/2020 | David Nicholls | |
| Green Long-horn | Adela reaumurella | 01/05/2020 | David Nicholls | |
| Common Vetch | Vicia sativa | 01/05/2020 | David Nicholls | |
| Grey Gorse Piercer | Cydia ulicetana | 01/05/2020 | David Nicholls | |
| Gorse | Ulex europaeus | 01/05/2020 | David Nicholls | |