The Flits NNR
The Flits NNR is an area of low-lying grassland, fen, scrub and woodland on peaty soils. The reserve's name is thought to come from the Old English 'fliet', meaning 'stream'.
County: Herefordshire
Main habitats: Woodland, Lowland Grassland
Area: 28 Ha
Site map: Nature on the Map
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The site is in the flood plain of the River Wye and is crossed by one of the river's tributaries. The area is fed by a ditch system that has partially silted up and resulted in impeded drainage.
Plants found at the reserve include bogbean, marsh valerian, great hairy willow-herb, spotted orchid, lesser water parsnip and globe-flower. However the site is most notable for its diverse invertebrate community. Many rare flies are found here, including species of soldier-fly, snail-killer fly and crane fly, together with numerous spider and beetle species. Some 200 butterfly and moth species have also been recorded.
Please note that there are no public rights of way across the NNR and, due to the fragility of the site, access is by permit only. For more information please contact Natural England's Herefordshire office.
Location and access
The reserve is 2 km south of the A438, 13 km west of Hereford and 0.5 km south west of the village of Preston on Wye.
By car, access to the reserve is via minor roads from the A438.
The nearest train station is in Hereford served by Arriva Trains Wales and First Great Western.
There are bus services (some irregular) from Hereford along the A438 to local villages. For more information go to the Herefordshire Public Transport website or go to the Travel Search website.
The reserve is near the route of a major trail the Wye Valley Walk that follows the path of the river Wye.
Facilities
The nearest toilet and refreshment facilities are in local towns and villages.
