Stanner Rocks

Stanner Rocks is an unusual site, situated in Radnorshire on a precipitous outcrop of hard igneous rocks. A number of plants that grow here are very rare in Britain, and are more characteristic of continental and Mediterranean Europe.

It is protected as Stanner Rocks SSSI for its flora.

Grid Ref: SO263584 Area: 5.40 hectares

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Visiting

The reserve is not generally open to the public due to its precipitous nature and tiny, delicate uncommon plants. Access should be arranged through CCW (see CCW enquiries helpline ).

There is a short length of public footpath that leads to a small area of quarry floor open to unaccompanied visitors.

Please avoid treading on any of the thin soils and bare rock, where many of the tiny and delicate plants are easily overlooked.

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Stay on the level parts of the quarry floor, preferably standing on the denser grassy vegetation, otherwise serious damage will result from trampling.

Visitors to areas away from the level parts of the quarry floor must be accompanied by CCW staff for their safety and the protection of the fragile vegetation. The cliffs present a risk of falling and loose rocks are a danger to those below.

How to get there

The reserve is located close to English border on the northern side of the A44 about 5.5 kilometres (3 miles) west of Kington, opposite the junction with the B4594.

The main entrance is through a gate just a few metres off a short section of hard-core track leading from the A44,

There are no available parking spaces. Informal spaces are best found about 100m along the nearby B4594. Please make sure you do not block any gates or entrances.

Transport
The Hereford to Llandrindod Wells bus service (route G4, service 461 and 462 travelling along the A44 through Stanner) stops on request very close to the reserve entrance.

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For more information contact Traveline Cymru on 0871 2002233 or visit www.traveline-cymru.org.uk

Facilities

None on site.

The nearest accessible toilets are at Kington, 5.5km east of the reserve.

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Who looks after it?

CCW manages the reserve.

You can contact the South & East Region Reserves Team via the CCW enquiries helpline, 0845 1306229, e-mail enquires@ccw.gov.uk or write to us under the ‘Contact the team’ section on this website.

Wildlife

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The reserve, precipitous throughout and largely facing south-east, includes a mixture of deciduous woodland, grassland and rocky outcrops, mostly natural. The woodland canopy is primarily of oak and ash, with an understorey largely dominated by hazel and wych elm.

The site’s south-easterly aspect combined with naturally dark rock and well-drained soils result in relatively warm soils. They dry up easily and, as they tend to exclude the more aggressive vegetation, provide room for the more specialised plants.

Thin soils, generally low in calcium content, surround the rocky outcrops. As well as tiny pockets of soil on rock face ledges or cracks, areas of mosses on the rocks and the woodland edges all support some of the unusual plants and include:

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Spiked speedwell
Sticky catch-fly
Rock stonecrop
Bloody crane’s-bill
Common rock-rose
Radnor Lily (Britain’s only known site)
Nationally rare mosses and liverworts.

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All three native woodpeckers live here. Wall brown and silver-washed fritillary are among the 27 butterfly species recorded here. And, while warm weather draws out the strong population of wood ants throughout the site, with careful searching you may also be able to spot oak bush crickets.

In the grazing enclosures, there is a high population of rabbits as well as sheep and ponies which help to maintain the grassland in a suitable state. An important resident dormouse population benefits from the extensive scrub and bramble habitat.