About the reserve

In spring white and pink blossom delicately adorns the trees of this community orchard, sprinkling petals on the meadow beneath as it gently slopes towards a small stream. At the edge of the village of Powerstock, the King’s Lane reserve is a remnant of the cider apple orchards that were once a common sight around the village and provides an ideal spot for a picnic or peaceful stroll amongst the blossom and early spring wildflowers. Alongside the older apple trees which, as they decay, provide an ideal habitat for invertebrates and lichens, new trees have been planted with help of the local school, rejuvenating the orchard. 

If you visit in spring and late summer you’ll find a variety of water-loving flower species, such as marsh marigold, ragged robin, moschatel and opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage. Common butterflies, including the meadow brown and small tortoiseshell can be found. In addition to visiting the flowers, come Autumn the butterflies can be seen feasting on the sugars of fallen apples. Beyond the sloping meadow, the stream on the orchard’s southern border, its banks diffused with ferns and liverworts, is visited by passing otters. 

Further information about the site’s history and notable species, including pictures, can be downloaded here. 

Useful Information

Following the road heading east from the centre of Powerstock village, the reserve is about 500m after The Three Horseshoes Inn on King’s Lane.