Castle Bottom NNR

Castle Bottom is a British national nature reserve located near Yateley in Hampshire. It is part of Castle Bottom to Yateley and Hawley Commons, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest,^[1] and Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area for the conservation of wild birds^[2]

The nature reserve is situated south-west of Yateley and is on the north-west border of Blackbushe Airport. The reserve is a small lowland site of around 29 hectares (72 acres), containing two valley mires, with heathland and woodland habitats.^[3][4] Each of the valley mires has an acidic stream running through them.^[5]

There is evidence that the area was used by humans as far back as 1800 to 550 BC, with discovery of some ancient burial mounds.^[6] There is evidence of banks being built in the Western Mire, but it is not possible to date exactly when they were built^[7]

The land was owned by the Bramshill estate until 1952, when it was sold.^[7] The land was last owned by a manufacturer of quarry equipment before the council purchased the site.^[7]

In the early 20th century two cottages were built on the north border of the reserve. Used until the 1960s, they are now ruins.^[6]

The nature reserve has the following fauna:^{[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]}

• Exmoor pony
• European water vole
• European badger
• Common noctule
• Common pipistrelle

• Grass snake
• Vipera berus
• Viviparous lizard
• Anguis fragilis
• Common frog
• Common toad
• Brown trout

• Morchella elata
• Typhula quisquiliaris
• Inonotus radiatus
• Schizophyllum commune
• Tricholoma cingulatum
• Panellus serotinus
• Lactarius pubescens
• Leccinum holopus
• Tremella foliacea
• Pisolithus arhizus

The nature reserve has the following flora:^[10][15]

• Conifer
• Scots pine
• Silver Birch

• Castle Bottom National Nature reserve

51°19′48″N 0°51′25″W / 51.330°N 0.857°W / 51.330; -0.857