Goblin Combe

Airy grasslands above the Combe contrast dark woodlands below. A great spot for butterflies with magical views across Mendip.

Location

61 Cleeve Hill Road
Cleeve
BS49 4PH
A static map of Goblin Combe

Know before you go

Size
99 hectares
z

Entry fee

No
P

Parking information

Please be aware parking is limited on Cleeve Hill Road

Grazing animals

Yes

Walking trails

Footpaths along the floor of Goblin Combe can be very muddy and slippery. Exercise caution and do not approach cliffs and scree slopes.

Access

Very steep access, steps and paths can be muddy. Footpaths along the floor of Goblin Combe can be very muddy and slippery. Exercise caution and do not approach cliffs and scree slopes. Contact the Trust for disabled access information

Dogs

On a lead

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

March to July, September to November

About the reserve

The airy grasslands above the Combe make a marked contrast to the dark woodland below. A great spot for butterflies, with a magical view across Mendip. The damp wooded Combe is home to the rare moonwort fern which grows under the old yew trees. The woodland and scrub on the reserve support a thriving population of the hazel dormouse, one of the largest in the area. Goblin Combe is a gorge cut into the limestone by melting snow and ice during the last ice age. Climb steeply to the limestone grassland and patches of heath above. In late summer the grassland is dotted with autumn gentian, autumn lady's tresses and yellow-wort. Over 30 species of butterfly have been recorded here, including grizzled and dingy skippers, brown argus and green hairstreak.

Contact us

Avon Wildlife Trust
Contact number: 0117 917 7270

Environmental designation

Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI)
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)