Corporate report

Cornwall's Nature Reserves

Updated 27 May 2026

Applies to England

Golitha Falls

Golitha Falls NNR is an upland oak and mixed ash woodland with the River Fowey passing through. The site is particularly important for rare bryophytes and is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Main habitats: woodland

Area: 18 hectares

Features of interest

The reserve is a long gorge, lined with ancient oak woodland that gives way to the River Fowey at the bottom.

The site is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its woodland flora. The dramatic landscape created by the River Fowey is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

It’s one of Cornwall’s richest valleys for bryophytes in Cornwall, with more than 120 species recorded here. It is equally important for lichens, with 48 species including the nationally rare Parmelia minarum. Woodland wildflowers include bluebells and wood anemone.

The reserve is also home to dormice, which reside in the ancient hazel coppice. Noctule, brown long-eared and lesser horseshoe bats have been recorded.

The river supports healthy populations of both salmon and sea trout. Otter are often seen exploring the falls.

Much of the reserve is known to be ancient woodland, with Draynes Wood recorded in the Domesday Book (1086).

In spring the woodland floor is carpeted with bluebells and wood anemones, while the meadow areas see bugle, self-heal, white clover, common tormentil and valerian species flourish.

The reserve supports 83 species of moth, including the notable double lines. Butterflies include the meadow brown, marbled white, green-veined white, gatekeeper, small skipper, ringlet, speckled wood and silver-washed fritillary.

Winter storms cause the River Fowey to swell, making the waterfalls even more torrential. Extra care should be taken when visiting after heavy rainfall.

Directions

The nearest train station is in Liskeard.

Bus services run from Liskeard to St Cleer.

Access to the reserve is by minor roads from the A38, A30 and B3254. There is a car park opposite the site entrance, maintained by Inkies Smokehouse BBQ.

Golitha Falls is near the route of the Two Valleys Walk, a circular trail starting in St Neots and passes through the valleys of the River Loveny and River Fowey and the heights of Berry Down.

Visitor information

The site is open all hours and is free to visit.

Our car parks have a voluntary suggested charge through the RingGo app, which goes towards the management of the site. You can also make donations through our onsite boxes or through PayPal.com.

The site includes a flat out and back path (approx. 0.6km) to the viewing area for the falls as well as some steeper, rougher paths throughout the site. There are some benches 0.2km into the site from the carpark.

Mobile signal can be patchy throughout the site.

The nearest accessible changing facilities are at Liskeard Public Hall. For further details go to: https://www.changing-places.org/find and search for Liskeard Public Hall.

Contact

For more information about the reserve, to discuss school visits or volunteering opportunities, email the reserve team at mailbox.ecnnrs@naturalengland.org.uk.

Mid Cornwall Moors

The Mid Cornwall Moors, part of the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves marking the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, is a historical landscape in the heart of Cornwall where nature and culture combine. A mosaic of wetland, heathland and woodland habitats which have been altered overtime through human and natural processes creating the exceptionally diverse and unique habitats that thrive today.

The reserve is managed through a collaborative partnership involving nature and heritage conservation organisations as well as a mining company. Many of its component areas are also designated part of the Mid Cornwall Moors site of special scientific interest (SSSI), and Special Area of Conservation (SAC), reflecting their significance at both national and international levels.

The managing partners of the National Nature Reserve are:

• Natural England
• Cornwall Wildlife Trust
• The Gaia Trust
• Imerys Minerals Ltd
• Cornwall Heritage Trust

These organisations work together to conserve and enhance the reserve’s nationally and internationally important habitats and species, and to deliver environmental science and community engagement programmes.

Main habitats: bog, fen, mire, wet woodland, lowland heath, peatland

Goss and Tregoss Moors

The site contains areas of dry and wet heath, mire, fen and open water – a diverse mix of wildlife habitats. Home to some of the country’s rarest species such as lesser butterfly orchid, yellow centaury, marsh clubmoss and Cornish moneywort. 29 species of butterfly have been recorded, including the marsh fritillary. There are also 18 species of dragonflies and damselflies present, including the nationally scarce small red damselfly.

Dormice reside both in the grassy open areas and in the areas dominated by willow. Otters are nocturnal visitors, as are roe and red deer, which can be seen at dawn and dusk as they venture out to graze. Goss is the stronghold in Cornwall to Britain’s fastest declining resident bird, the willow tit. Wetlands support populations of eel and brook lamprey.

The landscape that exists today was shaped by the industrial and agricultural exploitation which occurred over many years. The moor is surrounded by several medieval farms which would have made use of the moor for grazing as well as its many resources. The characteristic remains of tin-streaming and gravel extraction are evident and helped create the wetlands that now support some of our rarest species.

Directions

The nearest train stations are in St Columb Road and Roche.

Bus services run close to the reserve from St Austell to Newquay and from St Columb Major to Bodmin. For more details, visit the Traveline SW website.

The reserve is mid-way between the villages of St Dennis and Roche. The A30 runs to the north of the reserve. There are 4 car parks at these What 3 Word locations:

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Visitor information

The site is open all hours and is free to visit.

Our car parks have a voluntary suggested charge through the RingGo app, which goes towards the management of the site.

The site includes a 7-mile hardstanding multi-use trail which is mostly flat, but with some stony and muddy areas. It has Tramper, equestrian, and cycle accessible gates. There are also some rougher and often wetter routes.

Generally, there is mobile signal across the site.

The nearest public toilets are in Penhale, St Dennis, Roche or Cornwall Services. The nearest accessible changing facilities are at Cornwall Services. For further details go to the Changing places website and search for Cornwall Services.

Contact

For more information, email: mailbox.eastcornwallnnrs@naturalengland.org.uk.

Helman Tor, Tregonetha Downs, Quoit, and Rosenannon

The habitats on these sites are quite typical of the Mid Cornwall Moors, complex mosaics of wet and dry heath, scrub, bogs, grasslands and open water. They support reed bunting, otters, bog myrtle, small heath, grayling and green hairstreak butterflies. Beavers are present in the local area at Helman Tor, following a licenced release project, and evidence of beaver activity can be seen at the nature reserve.

The Tor itself boasts commanding views of the surrounding countryside – on a clear day, both north and south coasts are visible from its granite bouldered summit.

Further information about the wildlife and how to visit can be found on the Cornwall Wildlife Trust website for:

• Helman Tor
• Tregonetha Downs
• Quoit Heathland
• Rosenannon Downs

Contact

For more information, email: info@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk.

Chark Moor

Chark Moor is owned and managed by the Gaia Trust. It is made up of a variety of habitats including wet woodland, open wet grassland, wet heath, mires and open water. Management is supported through a Higher Level Stewardship agreement and aims to increase floral diversity in the grassland areas and manage them to attract the marsh fritillary butterfly. Expanding the area of grassland is also important.

Further information about the wildlife and how to visit can be found on the Gaia Trust website.

Contact

For more information, email Matt Edworthy (Gaia Trust Director): gaiatrust@hotmail.com.

Castle an Dinas

Castle an Dinas is one of Cornwall’s largest Iron Age hillforts, with 4 enclosing ramparts, and is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It is linked to a number of Cornish and Arthurian legends, with the adjacent Goss Moor known as King Arthur’s favourite hunting ground. The site comprises a range of habitat types, including dry heath and acid grassland, and supports a range of birds, reptiles, invertebrates and small mammals.

Further information about the monument and how to visit can be found at Cornwall Heritage Trust website.

Contact

For more information, email: info@cornwallheritagetrust.org. 

Criggan and Lower Molinnis

Criggan and Lower Molinnis are designated as part of the Mid Cornwall Moors site of special scientific interest (SSSI), and known for their rare, interconnected wet woodlands, fens and heathlands. The sites support a diverse range of flora, fauna and species, including dormouse, silver-washed fritillary butterfly and kestrels. 

Contact

For more information, email: imlcomms@imerys.com.

The Lizard

The Lizard NNR is a complex of a number of isolated sites on a peninsula in Cornwall.

Main habitats: coastal grasslands and heaths and inland heaths

Features of interest

The Lizard peninsula, near Helston in Cornwall, covers 15,000 hectares and is the most southerly part of the British mainland and over 250 species of national or international importance are found here.

Wildlife highlights include the red-billed chough, whose call is usually heard before the bird is seen, swathes of cliff-top wildflowers in spring and colourful heath flora in summer.

There is limited wheelchair access to the reserve apart from a 1 kilometre level surfaced path at Goonhilly. The reserve is open access, with many statutory and permissive bridleways. Paths can become very boggy in the winter and in wet summers.

See the site visitor leaflet for more details.

See also the Linking the Lizard website which is a partnership between Natural England, the National Trust, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, NFU and Exeter/Falmouth Universities.

Directions

The nearest train station is Falmouth, approximately 25 kilometres from the tip of the peninsula (Lizard Point).

There is a bus link from Redruth station (on the mainline route to Penzance) to Helston - 15 kilometres from Lizard Point. Information on local bus services is available from the Cornwall County Council website

The Lizard peninsula is accessed via the A3083 (from the A394) and the B3293. Voluntary car parking charges can be paid in advance or on the day using the RingGo app.

The South West Coastal Path continues around the perimeter of the whole peninsula giving excellent access to parts of the NNR.

Volunteering

The reserve has an active group of volunteers and always welcomes new members. Please contact steve.townsend@naturalengland.org.uk or philip.bowler@naturalengland.org.uk for details.

Contact

For more information about the reserve or to discuss school visits contact the reserve team on telephone 01326 240 808 or at:

Lizard NNR
Higher Bochym
Rural Workshops
Cury Cross Lanes
Helston
Cornwall
TR12 7AZ