About the reserve

Buxton Heath is managed by NWT in partnership with the owners Hevingham Fuel Allotment Charity. The site is one of the best examples of dry, acidic heathland in Norfolk. Nourished by a ‘valley mire’ running through its heart, the heath is awash with stunning purple heather during the summer months.   

Home to the beautiful silver-studded blue, this re-introduced butterfly is thriving here, and Buxton Heath is one of the best locations in East Anglia to see it. Other butterflies you might see during a visit include purple hairstreak, green hairstreak and white admiral. Dragonflies including keeled skimmer, can also be found here. 

There’s a range of rare heathland plants and invertebrates here, and the site is particularly important for breeding nightjar and woodlark.  

Take an early morning visit in spring, and you may be treated to the beautiful song of the woodlark. Return on a warm, still, summer evening and you may catch a glimpse of a hawking nightjar. Listen out for its strange, vibrating churring call.  

Heathland is one of the world’s most threatened habitats. Our extensive restoration work at Buxton Heath, including the removal of conifer plantation trees, has resulted in its recovery and expansion.