Thrislington NNR

Thrislington National Nature Reserve is located approx.10km south of Durham City and lies on the western edge of the Durham Magnesian Limestone Plateau. It is widely recognised as one of the most important stands of primary Magnesian Limestone grassland found in Britain today. This rock was laid down in the Permian period (about 250 million years ago) when shallow seas covered parts of the UK. Most of these calcareous grasslands are maintained by grazing. A large number of rare plants are associated with this habitat. The grasslands population of invertebrates is also considered important.

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Thrislington NNR lies adjacent to a working quarry, extracting the Magnesian limestone which is known commercially as dolomite. This mineral-rich bedrock became the basis of exploitation for industry and agriculture through much of the 19th and 20th Century. Here at Thrislington it has been preserved as a National Nature Reserve to help protect the flora and fauna that make this their home. Today it supports the largest area of Primary Magnesian Grassland in the UK, having survived afforestation during the late 19th Century, scrub encroachment in the 1960’s and quarrying in the 1980’s.

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Access

A public footpath skirts the southern boundary of the reserve and concessionary paths cross all of the compartments linking again with the public footpath on the south eastern boundary

A small lay-by on the unclassified road to the west of the reserve is the only parking facility visitors have; this is also the entrance to the reserve via the public footpath. Stiles with dog gates are positioned on the concessionary paths for ease of access. There are no facilities for prams, pushchairs or wheelchairs at this present time.

There are very few site hazards, other than naturally occurring ‘shake holes’ and during the winter months grazing stock may be in the compartments so those visitors with dogs must take extra precautions and keep dogs on leads.