Papercourt GPs Surrey

Site Location Details

Site Details

Former gravel pits just to the Woking side of Ripley. The main pit is used by sailing club and anglers but most of the leisure activities take place at the weekend and the birds are relatively undisturbed during the week. Access via a footpath from Polesden Lane is easy. Around the pit the main habitats are bushes and bramble scrub, some open grass, some mixed woodland and a few large gardens. To the north of the pit is a view across Newark Lane to agricultural land. To the south, behind the sailing club buildings, is a smaller pit closely surrounded by trees which is favoured by shyer water birds such as Gadwall, Shoveler and Goosander. Redpoll and Firecrest have been seen in the area. To the west of the sailing club, bounded by Tannery Lane on the north and east, is another pair of pits designated as a local nature reserve. These have willow, scrub and reed beds which can be viewed with some difficulty from Tannery Lane on the north and from a footpath on the south boundary which leads from east Tannery Lane just below the junction with Polesden Lane. Here can be seen, depending on the time of year, Teal, Shelduck, Gadwall, Shoveler, Snipe, Heron and various Warblers.