Fox Cub Field

About

Fox Cub Field is a small area of wild wetland next to Fox’s Field on the other side of the stream. If you’re coming under Thunder Bridge turn right, rather than left over the back stream, and you’ll find yourself in a delightful mosaic of wildflowers, brambles, elder stands, rushes. The field is bounded on the east by the mill leat that separates it from Tone Dale House’s beautiful private gardens, and on the south by the railway line.

Directions

Fox Cub Field is a small field between the railway and Fox’s Factory; near Thunder Bridge. Access is from Fox’s Field. Please walk or cycle if you can. There is limited parking space behind the Tonedale One Stop shop. Short walk down Millstream Gardens and along the footpath at Weavers Reach. Turn left over the footbridge near the children’s play area and left into Fox’s Field. What3words: amazed.violinist.entrusted. You can also enter via the gate on Linden Hill, next to the metal storage container. What3words: deputy.spoons.pizzeria. Walk across Fox’s Field to the far end where the railway line is, across a small bridge over the river (What3words: belt.joyously.toast). The entrance to Fox Cub Field is straight ahead, you do not need to go through the tunnel under the railway.

Design

Fox Cub Field has not been planted with any additional trees or flowers. The aim is to retain the wild and natural feel of this place as far as possible. Keeping the Himalayan balsam from encroaching too much is key, as is cutting back the brambles to an agreed healthy margin, i.e. retaining them for their valuable habitat provision to birds, insects and harvest mice etc, while keeping the open wetland meadow. Selected alder trees may also be coppiced or removed at intervals for the same reason.

Implementation

The field comes under the Green Corridor management plan. Regular Himalayan balsam bashing events are held during May and June each year.

Biodiversity

Bioblitzes are held on Fox’s Field, as well as bird ID walks, botany walks and harvest mouse nest surveys. Green woodpeckers, barn owls, little egret and heron have been spotted here, as well as grey wagtails, kingfishers and dippers along the leat and river banks. Otter prints have also been seen in the muddy areas. A sizeable colony of rabbits keeps the grass short and has helped to maintain this unique micro-habitat for fragrant, low-growing water mint, and many other species of wildflowers. Butterflies abound, and spiders, beetles and other invertebrates.

iNaturalist Bioblitz (Coming soon)

2019

Acquired

17,195

Size

Plants Added