Woodhouse Washlands
Woodhouse Washlands reserve is partly in Rotherham and partly in Sheffield. It is set on either side of the River Rother to south of Woodhouse. Washlands are a name for the plain of the river which was subject to regular flooding.
The washlands here used to be rich grazing but many years of human alteration to the river system have altered the floodplain too. The River Rother here has been deepened and straightened and the only memory of the former course of meanders is the fishing pond. In the 1950s much of the land was drained and re-seeded to improve it for grazing. The reserve has also undergone small-scale coal mining and the river once supplied water for local mills. There used to be a mill goit running to Woodhouse Mill at the northern end on the Rotherham side but all that remains is a damp area. The remains of the mill dam can be seen to the south of the reserve. In spite of all this human activity, the reserve has much wildlife interest, is being greatly improved and has tremendous potential.
The washland was designed to be used as part of the flood control system for the River Rother and the preservation area may be closed at times.
Woodhouse Washlands are grazed by rare cattle breeds and ponds have been excavated to provide additional water sources for cattle and breeding amphibians, including the great crested newt. This system of management is designed to return the area to its former dampness and provide a habitat for water-loving insects and plants. A large marsh area retains water throughout the year and several ponds, ditches and the cut-off meander of the old river course provide other habitats. Fool’s watercress and celery-leaved buttercup reflect the site’s traditional use as wet pasture. Pignut, marsh stitchwort, great burnet and knapweed can be found in the old grassland areas. Along boundaries are scrub area, together with willow, alder and scattered hawthorns trees.
Woodhouse Washlands is home to mammals such as fox, stoat, the increasingly scarce water vole and harvest mouse. There are important for breeding birds including snipe, lapwing, skylark and reed bunting. It is also a regionally important bird migration route of the Rother Valley. There are many amphibians too, including smooth newt and the endangered great crested newt. Dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies can be seen during summer.
Visitors are welcome on the reserve. Organised parties please contact the Sheffield Wildlife Action Partnership Tel. 44 (0)114 2500 500 - so that use can be made of the car park off Furnace Lane, and information obtained regarding organised events. The Trans-Pennine Trail runs the length of the reserve on the Rotherham side, and a permissive footpath leading from Furnace Lane gives good views of the Sheffield side. As the breeding birds are mainly ground nesting, please follow the footpaths and do not wander over the meadows especially in Spring and early Summer. No dogs allowed.
Woodhouse Washlands is one of the biggest nature reserves controlled by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, on land owned by the Environment Agency.