Take a mindful stroll through Shire Brook Valley
The Teasel Trail has been designed to encourage you to take a mindful wander throughout the nature reserve. Take as much or as little time as you would like.
Follow the teasel trail markers and take a moment to pause, engage your senses and discover details.
What is the trail like?
We care for this nature reserve as a deliberately wild space so you will experience some uneven, narrower paths and steeper terrain on this trail. Some paths may not be suitable for all wheelchairs and buggies, especially in wet weather. Some paths can get muddy after a lot of rain.
We recommend you wear sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing before starting your walk. Take care as it can get slippy.
However, please feel free to stomp and squelch in the mud too!
How do I access the trail?
You can download the map below to follow the prompts at each numbered marker. Explore the trail freely and at your own pace. It can be done in any order and there is no need to follow every point. If you do follow the entire trail as a gentle walk, it could take anywhere between 2 – 4 hours.
Some leaflets will be available on the reserve in leaflet dispensers on the visitor centre building.
What is a teasel?
You can spot teasels throughout the nature reserve often in clusters. Teasels are tall wildflowers, often reaching the height of a person. They have thorns all the way up their stems and a cone-like flower head. The flowers are tiny and purple, clustering together and appearing in rings up and down the flower head. The teasel is an important food source of nectar and pollen for bumblebees, and butterflies such as the Peacock and Brimstone butterfly. The seed heads turn brown in winter and become an important food source for birds such as Goldfinches.
Shire Brook Valley Nature Reserve 