Location

The Hodnet countryside site is situated half a mile east of Hodnet, grid ref SJ 622282. A map of the site is available via the Map showing parks and countryside sites link on this page.

Recreational Activities

Reasonably level, easy walking, may be muddy.

A new seat has been installed half way down the site.

A rare colony of glow-worms can be found on this disused railway line, which is partly in a cutting and partly on an embankment. There are also plenty of Banded snails which is one of the main food items of the glow-worm.

Glow-worm facts

• a glow-worm is not a worm but a beetle (Lampyris nocctiluca).
• only the female glows and it can be seen over 45 meters away
• the males have wings and have large eyes, a must for spotting the females.
• females cannot fly
• there are two species of glow-worm in Britain, the common Glow-worm and the very rare Lesser Glow-worm.
• the light is a chemical reaction involving two substances called luciferin and luciferase.
• the reaction is extremely efficient, releasing at least 98% of its energy as light (a light bulb only produces 5% light the rest is wasted on heat)
• adults do not eat at all they have no mouthparts.

The site is also important for a wide variety of birds especially Buzzards, Kestrels, Corn Bunting and Barn owls.

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