Noakes Grove from the air.

Noakes Grove is the reserve we acquired first and the only one we own outright. It has four main habitat types three of which appear on a 1758 map in exactly the positions they are now. The then woodland area gives its name to the whole reserve and has lasted 600 years since a Mr Nokes was given permission to create a small-holding by clearing a virgate of forest belonging to the monks at what is now Audley End.

The scrub area only developed when the Reeve brothers (the farmers of the area for most of the 20th century) abandoned grazing the area sometime around 1970. It is the habitat of a large population of Wild Liquorice - a very rare and local plant in East Anglia.

.

.

Kings Field, Hempstead

The yellow lines mark the permissive paths for visitors on foot

Most of Kings Field straddles the Bumpsted Brook (a tributary of the Ouse) and is developing into flower-rich meadows following the cessation of arable farming in the 1990s. The field between the road and the brook is called the "cricket bat field" as the cricket-bat willows were planted in the 1990s and are doing well. One day they may play for England.

The grassland area is grazed on a rotation basis by our sheep.

There is a pond dug in 2023 which has already attracted a range of dragonflies and damselflies.

The home-educated Wild Child group walking to Kings Field from Noakes Grove.

While children are always welcome as part of family groups visiting any of our reserves, we also put great effort into providing special activities for children.

Wild Child is an open-air club, mainly at Noakes Grove, for home-educated 6 - 11-year olds who study wildlife, have fun and sometimes camp out. The club meets once a fortnight year round. There is no charge for Wild Child but donations are welcome.

We also organise open-air wildlife orientated birthday parties.

There are also children's activities that use our reserves to provide other activities: a forest school for Bell Nursery (2-3 year olds) and mindfulness or relaxation training on a one-to-one basis for children of any age.