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PLEASE NOTE: There is no on-site parking at Strawberry Hill. Please do not park on the roadside verges. See below for full access guidelines.

A nightingale, highlighted by golden hues of a sunrise, with it's beak wide open, singing

Image credit: Holly Wilkinson

Strawberry Hill

Our newest reserve - and still in development for visitors. The area was transformed from poor arable fields to grassland, shrub and young woodland. As the habitat became wilder, the wildlife moved in – nightingales, turtle doves, linnets, harvest mice, badgers and more.

Location

Strawberry Hill, Knotting Green
Bedfordshire
MK44 1AA
A static map of Strawberry Hill

Know before you go

Size
150 hectares
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Parking information

No on-site parking. Please don't park on roadside verges. If arriving by car, there is a small amount of parking available in the villages at Knotting or Risely. Please park respectfully and take care when walking to the entrances of the reserve..
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Access

We are currently developing an access plan for the site so that people can enjoy all this place has to offer without impacting the unique habitat and its abundant wildlife. 

The entrance to Strawberry Hill is at Knotting Green in Bedfordshire between Rushden and Bedford. It is not currently open to the public as a nature reserve, and there is no on-site parking. However there are public footpaths across the site which are accessible from the villages of Knotting Green, Knotting and Riseley. The North Bedfordshire Heritage Trail runs alongside the site. Large groups of visitors may however be harmful to the site. Please don't park on roadside verges.

Dogs

image/svg+xmlOn a lead

Please help us protect wildlife by keeping dogs on a lead and sticking to the paths. 

When to visit

Opening times

Open all the time

Best time to visit

Anytime

About the reserve

Strawberry Hill is an extraordinary place. Some 35 years ago, the previous owner decided to let nature take over this 150 hectare (377 acre) site. The land was transformed from poor arable fields to grassland, shrub and young woodland. As the habitat became wilder, the wildlife moved in – nightingales, turtle doves, linnets, harvest mice, badgers and more. When the site came on the market, we stepped in with the help of philanthropic lenders, and ran our biggest ever campaign to raise £1.5 million to save the site. Thanks to all the support we garnered from this appeal, we now own Strawberry Hill and are working hard to take care of this amazing place.

Strawberry Hill is already an important site for nature. We aim to protect the species there and the special habitat that has developed over the past 25 years, as well as enhancing it for other species to come in and thrive.

A recent bird survey showed healthy populations of nightingales, willow warblers, whitethroats and garden warblers with ideal habitat for turtle doves.

Find out more

Species

Contact us

Contact email: Strawberry.Hill@wildlifebcn.org

Location map

A ginger highland cow, looking over its shoulder towards the camera

Image credit: Holly Wilkinson

Large group smiling towards the camera at the Strawberry Hill Meeting WTBCN Natural England meeting

Image credit: Holly Wilkinson

Barn Owl in flight at in dusky light at Strawberry Hill

Richard Coppins

Great tit perched on a bramble branch

Richard Coppins

An aerial show of Strawberry Hill showing the scrubland turning into shades of gold and orange

Holly Wilkinson

Help support Strawberry Hill - our newest nature reserve!

You did it! You hit the land purchase target. We can’t say thank you enough. Strawberry Hill is saved! We’re excited for the future of Strawberry Hill – but there’s much to do. Can you help?
£9,946 of £100,000 goal
Donate today

Take a virtual tour of the site

Strawberry Hill Virtual Tour (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVzEFDCXl1g)

Credit: Holly Wilkinson WTBCN

We have the POWER. Protect Our World-Educate-Restore.

The Trust was able to secure the site temporarily in 2022 with the help of philanthropic loans from Julia Davies and a group of conservation minded lenders brought together under the We Have The POWER mission, together with the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. With their help we are able to buy time to raise funds to protect the site long term.

In 2023 half of the site was purchased with a grant from Biffa Award. In 2024 the Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs and Northants launched an appeal for £1.5million to buy the remaining half of the site.

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