The open access land called Oven Bottom, south of Blewbury, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It has steep-sided chalk grassland habitat known for wildflowers and butterflies.
At the end of June tall grass was abundant, completely hiding the track down from the northern gate, and making it hard to spot all the underlying tussocks, making walking a little treacherous.
No rare butterflies or plants spotted, and almost no birds about. Marbled white butterflies were everywhere.
With lots of Meadow Browns
A small skipper
And a silver Y moth
A six spot burnet and marmalade hoverfly
A green longhorn moth
List of all Open Access land in Oxfordshire, which includes:
- OCC map of Aston Upthorpe open access land, which includes Oven Bottom: Link to OCC, or download here. “Variety of downland parcels in the Blewbury/Aston Tirrold area. These are currently linked by permissvie footpaths to enable a circular walk to be undertaken.”
- Lid’s Bottom, and
- Lid’s Down
Details are also on the Natural England Website
OCC also provide: Historic Landscape Walk 2: Blewburton and Lowbury Hill
Select any thumbnail below for a full screen slideshow
One reply on “A morning in Oven Bottom”
I loved your Oven Bottom photos, David, and your comments. I keep looking at it-and it feels more and more like a symphony….just in pictures-it’s all so beautifully harmonious. Thank you Heidi x