Clawthorpe Fell

Clawthorpe Fell is a nature reserve of the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, near Burton-in-Kendal in Cumbria, England. The reserve, and the neighbouring reserve Holme Park Quarry, are on the western edge of a large area of limestone pavement. This area, which contains Hutton Roof Crags and Farleton Knott, is an uncommon wildlife habitat.^[1]

The area of the reserve is 12 hectares (30 acres). It was designated a National Nature Reserve in 1976. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and a Special Area of Conservation.^[2]

Cumbria Wildlife Trust took over the management of Clawthorpe Fell and neighbouring site Holme Park Quarry, both owned by Aggregate Industries, in March 2022.^[1][3]

There are two parts to the nature reserve: the "mainland", an expanse of limestone pavement, across which there is a footpath, on the edge of a quarry; and the "island", which is closed to public access, in the middle of the quarry.^[2]

The mainland is a habitat for butterflies and moths; plants include dark-red helleborine, found in only a few sites in the UK, and bird's foot sedge. On the island, less damaged by quarrying, there is grassland and scrub; there are junipers, ferns, and in some years fly orchids. ^[1][2]