Cooper's Hill

Cooper's Hill is Bedfordshire's largest remaining area of lowland heathland, sitting on the Greensand Ridge on the western outskirts of Ampthill. The site is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Local Nature Reserve, owned by Ampthill Town Council and co-managed with the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

Around 13 hectares of rare and endangered open heath are dotted with patches of gorse and broom and isolated trees, surrounded by pockets of woodland (beech, lime, birch and oak). The northwest corner supports a small area of acidic mire and ponds, where marsh violet and willow carr shade the water. Historically the hill was known as Ampthill Warren - the Normans are thought to have introduced rabbits to Britain in the 11th century, and warrens were set up on light soils like this.

Firm, sandy walking trails cross the site (with some slopes), making it a lovely spot for a free family walk, with heather in bloom from August to September when the reserve is at its best. Wildlife includes lizards, solitary bees and wasps, and nesting birds in the gorse, with siskin, goldcrest, willow warbler and green tiger beetle among the recorded species. Dogs are welcome on leads. The reserve is open at all times with no entry fee.