Hog's Hole
51°20′02″N 1°27′32″W / 51.334°N 1.459°W / 51.334; -1.459
Hog's Hole is a 23.7-hectare (59-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in the civil parish of Combe in the English county of Berkshire.[1][2]
Geography
Hog's Hole is one of three nationally important chalk grassland sites that lie within the North Wessex Downs along with Rushmore and Conholt Downs (SSSI) and part of Inkpen and Walbury Hills (SSSI).[3]
Hog's Hole consists of a dry valley, or combe, cut in the Middle and Upper Chalk. The steep east and west-facing valley sides support only thin rendzina soils, an unusual feature being lines of bare chalk and flint scree. The valley opens out in its southern part, the remainder of the site consisting of a moderately steep and undulating south-facing slope and a steep west-facing slope rising to a plateau area.[4]
History
The site has been predominantly used for grazing sheep.[4]
Fauna
The site has the following Fauna:[4]
Birds
- Willow warbler
- Garden warbler
- Lesser whitethroat
- Long-tailed tit
- Yellowhammer
Flora
The site has the following Flora:[4]
Trees
- Crataegus
- elder
- Ligustrum vulgare
- Prunus spinosa
- Sycamore
- Malus
- Viburnum lantana
- Ash
- Whitebeam
Plants
- Festuca ovina
- Avenula pratensis
- Cirsium acaule
- Asperula cynanchica
- Festuca rubra
- Briza media
- Koeleria macrantha
- Avenula pubescens
- Holcus lanatus
- Trisetum flavescens
- Carex flacca
- Hieracium pilosella
- Leontodon hispidus
- Galium verum
- Clinopodium vulgare
- Common eyebright
- Sanguisorba minor
- Polygala vulgaris
- Plantago media
- Hippocrepis comosa
- Helianthemum nummularium
- Ranunculus bulbosus
- Viola hirta
- Gentianella amarella
- Carduus nutans
- Dactylorhiza fuchsii
- Carex caryophyllea
- Thymus praecox
- Thymus pulegioides
- Linum catharticum
- Arenaria serpyllifolia
- Silene dioica
- Geum urbanum
- Geranium robertianum
- Circaea lutetiana
- Bromus erectus
- Arrhenatherum elatius
- Lolium perenne
- Trifolium repens
- Urtica dioica
References
- ^ a b c d "Designated Sites View: Hog's Hole". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
- ^ "Map of Hog's Hole". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
- ^ "LUC Standard Report Template-London" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Hog's Hole citation" (PDF). Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
- v
- t
- e
- Aldermaston Gravel Pits
- Ashridge Wood
- Avery's Pightle
- Bisham Woods
- Blackwater Valley
- Bowdown and Chamberhouse Woods
- Boxford Water Meadows
- Bray Meadows
- Bray Pennyroyal Field
- Briff Lane Meadows
- Broadmoor to Bagshot Woods and Heaths
- Catmore and Winterly Copses
- Chawridge Bourne
- Cleeve Hill
- Cock Marsh
- Combe Wood and Linkenholt Hanging
- Coombe Wood, Frilsham
- Croker's Hole
- Decoy Pit, Pools and Woods
- Easton Farm Meadow
- Enborne Copse
- Englemere Pond
- Freeman's Marsh
- Great Thrift Wood
- Greenham and Crookham Commons
- Heath Lake
- Hog's Hole
- Holies Down
- Inkpen and Walbury Hills
- Inkpen Common
- Inkpen Crocus Field
- Irish Hill Copse
- Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain
- Kennet Valley Alderwoods
- King's Copse
- Lardon Chase
- Lodge Wood and Sandford Mill
- Longmoor Bog
- Old Copse, Beenham
- Park Farm Down
- Redhill Wood
- River Kennet
- River Lambourn
- Sandhurst to Owlsmoor Bogs and Heaths
- Seven Barrows
- Snelsmore Common
- Stanford End Mill and River Loddon
- Streatley Warren
- Sulham and Tidmarsh Woods and Meadows
- Swinley Park and Brick Pits
- Thatcham Reed Beds
- Wasing Wood Ponds
- Wellington College Bog
- West Woodhay Down
- West's Meadow, Aldermaston
- Westfield Farm Chalk Bank
- White Shute
- Windsor Forest and Great Park
- Woolhampton Reed Bed
- Wraysbury and Hythe End Gravel Pits
- Wraysbury No 1 Gravel Pit
- Wykery Copse