The Ridgeway Campsite is set in organic chalk downland in an area of outstanding natural beauty, a unique habitat important for wildlife.

 

A special ecosystem has been created from centuries of animal grazing on chalk soils, producing a short turf (or 'sward') rich in herbs, flowers and grasses. With as many as forty different plants per square metre, chalk grassland is on  a par with rainforests in terms of the number of pieces of flora and fauna it supports.  

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From ants to orchids, chalk grassland is home to many rare and declining species including birds such as the Stone Curlew, Skylark, Tree Sparrow, Corn Bunting and Lapwing.  Many rare butterflies, such as the Adonis Blue, Marsh Fritillary and Duke of Burgundy depend on the flowers and grasses here.

 

Buzzards, Red Kites and Kestrels can frequently be seen circling overhead.