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Ketton Quarry SSSI

In the early 199Os The Ketton Tree Group cleared much of the hawthorn and bramble scrub in the old quarry with the help of John Downes of Home Farm and a large group of willing volunteers. We also fenced much of the quarry as well as the Dell. Then we used some seaside donkeys over several winters to clear the sprouting scrub. The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust have carried on this clearing with their wonderful flock of sheep. 
Now people travel from far away to visit Ketton Quarry SSSI to see some of its wonderful calcareous grassland flowers, some of its 26 species of butterflies, its glowworms, reptiles and a large number of birds, including nightingale. Nearly 13,000 trees and shrubs have been planted on an extension to the Wytchley Warren Farm quarry in Ketton. Hanson has also built a 63-metre long bat cave in the quarry. 
The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust now manage the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Their small flock of Hebridean and Manx Loghtan sheep have grazed on rotation in the paddocks since 2004. The rate of scrub removal has been increased so that more calcareous grassland, a nationally important wildlife habitat, can be established. The intention is to link up all of the remaining pockets of grassland, but to leave some scrub. 
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There are now many footpaths throughout the SSSI. A wonderful new footpath has just been created near the new road bridge on the Empingham Road. 
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