Ballard's Covert

Wood, Forest in Huntingdonshire Huntingdonshire

England

Ballard's Covert

Barn at Ladyseat Farm With a -2m spot height and close to the Holme Fen posts, this is potentially the lowest farm in the country.
Barn at Ladyseat Farm Credit: Hugh Venables

Ballard's Covert is a picturesque woodland area located in Huntingdonshire, a county in the eastern region of England. Covering an estimated area of several acres, this enchanting forest is known for its stunning beauty and rich biodiversity.

The woodland is characterized by a dense canopy of mature trees, including oak, beech, and birch, which provide a natural habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna. The forest floor is adorned with a carpet of wildflowers, creating a vibrant and colorful landscape during the spring and summer months.

Ballard's Covert is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts, as it is home to numerous species of birds, mammals, and insects. Birdwatchers can spot a range of species, including woodpeckers, owls, and various songbirds. Squirrels and rabbits can be seen darting through the undergrowth, while the occasional deer may be spotted grazing in the clearing.

The woodland is also a popular destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Several well-marked trails wind their way through the forest, offering visitors the opportunity to explore its hidden treasures. Walking, hiking, and cycling are among the activities enjoyed by visitors in this tranquil and serene setting.

Ballard's Covert provides a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty of nature. Whether it's a leisurely stroll, a picnic, or simply taking in the sights and sounds of the forest, this woodland offers a truly rejuvenating experience for all who venture within its boundaries.

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Ballard's Covert Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.490098/-0.22684318 or Grid Reference TL2089. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Barn at Ladyseat Farm With a -2m spot height and close to the Holme Fen posts, this is potentially the lowest farm in the country.
Barn at Ladyseat Farm
With a -2m spot height and close to the Holme Fen posts, this is potentially the lowest farm in the country.
Holme Fen Posts Believed to be the lowest land point at nearly -3m below sea level . The posts were used to measure the shrinkage as the water was drained. The tops mark the height the land used to be in 1848. 

<span class="nowrap"><a title="https://www.greatfen.org.uk/about-great-fen/heritage/holme-fen-posts" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://www.greatfen.org.uk/about-great-fen/heritage/holme-fen-posts">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
Holme Fen Posts
Believed to be the lowest land point at nearly -3m below sea level . The posts were used to measure the shrinkage as the water was drained. The tops mark the height the land used to be in 1848. LinkExternal link
Pond in Jackson's Covert, Holme Fen
Pond in Jackson's Covert, Holme Fen
Ditch off New Long Drove
Ditch off New Long Drove
Nissen Hut off New Long Drove
Nissen Hut off New Long Drove
New Long Drove
New Long Drove
Ditch near Ladyseat Farm
Ditch near Ladyseat Farm
New Long Drove towards Tower Farm
New Long Drove towards Tower Farm
Holme Fen Posts Mark the lowest point in the UK.
Holme Fen Posts
Mark the lowest point in the UK.
A glimpse of the water at Caldecote Fen
A glimpse of the water at Caldecote Fen
Holme Fen Edge Drain
Holme Fen Edge Drain
WW2 memorial on Holme Fen
WW2 memorial on Holme Fen
Memorial to Pilot Officer Harold Edwin Penketh, age 20 Pilot Officer Penketh of 266 Rhodesian Squadron Royal Air Force was flying his Mk 1A, Spitfire, X4593 from RAF Wittering on the 22nd November 1940, on a routine training flight with two other Spitfires, Pilot Officer Penketh was seen to break formation entering a dive from which he failed to fully recover. Witnesses stated that his aircraft partially recovered at around 2,000ft but then re-entered a dive and struck the ground vertically.  
He was the son of James and Ann Penketh. of Hove and his ashes are buried at Brighton (Woodvale) Crematorium.
Memorial to Pilot Officer Harold Edwin Penketh, age 20
Pilot Officer Penketh of 266 Rhodesian Squadron Royal Air Force was flying his Mk 1A, Spitfire, X4593 from RAF Wittering on the 22nd November 1940, on a routine training flight with two other Spitfires, Pilot Officer Penketh was seen to break formation entering a dive from which he failed to fully recover. Witnesses stated that his aircraft partially recovered at around 2,000ft but then re-entered a dive and struck the ground vertically. He was the son of James and Ann Penketh. of Hove and his ashes are buried at Brighton (Woodvale) Crematorium.
Information board at Holme Fen (Spitfire X4593) See also <a title="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6371387" href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6371387">Link</a>
Information board at Holme Fen (Spitfire X4593)
See also Link
Flooded land on Holme Fen This land, off New Long Drove, may be part of the Great Fen Project which plans to return farmland back to a giant fen and nature reserve. See <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://www.greatfen.org.uk/" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://www.greatfen.org.uk/">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
Flooded land on Holme Fen
This land, off New Long Drove, may be part of the Great Fen Project which plans to return farmland back to a giant fen and nature reserve. See LinkExternal link
A potholed farm track on Holme Fen, Cambridgeshire
A potholed farm track on Holme Fen, Cambridgeshire
Holme Fen Post Holme Fen is a 269.4 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Holme in Cambridgeshire. It is also a National Nature Reserve and a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I.  It is part of the Great Fen project, which aims to create a 3,700 wetland wildlife area including Holme Fen, Woodwalton Fen and other areas. It is home to a variety of birds, including the Eurasian siskin, Nightingale and Lesser redpoll, and around 450 species of fungi.

Home Fen is described by Natural England as the finest example of birch woodland in lowland Britain. Part of it was a mere which was drained in the nineteenth century, and some relict wetland plants survive such as saw sedge and fen wood-rush. Two new lakes have been excavated.

Holme Fen, specifically Holme Posts, is believed to be the lowest land point in Great Britain at 2.75 metres (9.0 ft) below sea level.

<span class="nowrap"><a title="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holme_Fen" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holme_Fen">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
Holme Fen Post
Holme Fen is a 269.4 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Holme in Cambridgeshire. It is also a National Nature Reserve and a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I. It is part of the Great Fen project, which aims to create a 3,700 wetland wildlife area including Holme Fen, Woodwalton Fen and other areas. It is home to a variety of birds, including the Eurasian siskin, Nightingale and Lesser redpoll, and around 450 species of fungi. Home Fen is described by Natural England as the finest example of birch woodland in lowland Britain. Part of it was a mere which was drained in the nineteenth century, and some relict wetland plants survive such as saw sedge and fen wood-rush. Two new lakes have been excavated. Holme Fen, specifically Holme Posts, is believed to be the lowest land point in Great Britain at 2.75 metres (9.0 ft) below sea level. LinkExternal link
Footbridge and Holme Fen Posts The Fen Posts mark the lowest point in England -9ft. The post on the left was erected in 1851 with just its head showing above ground. Plaques mark the extent of the shrinkage of the peat since then, The post on the right is more recent dating from 1957. <span class="nowrap"><a title="https://www.greatfen.org.uk/about-great-fen/heritage/holme-fen-posts" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="https://www.greatfen.org.uk/about-great-fen/heritage/holme-fen-posts">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
Footbridge and Holme Fen Posts
The Fen Posts mark the lowest point in England -9ft. The post on the left was erected in 1851 with just its head showing above ground. Plaques mark the extent of the shrinkage of the peat since then, The post on the right is more recent dating from 1957. LinkExternal link
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Ballard's Covert is located at Grid Ref: TL2089 (Lat: 52.490098, Lng: -0.22684318)

Administrative County: Cambridgeshire

District: Huntingdonshire

Police Authority: Cambridgeshire

What 3 Words

///arching.expel.warnings. Near Yaxley, Cambridgeshire

Related Wikis

The Fens

The Fens or Fenlands in eastern England are a naturally marshy region supporting a rich ecology and numerous species. Most of the fens were drained centuries...

Holme Fen

Holme Fen is a 269.4-hectare (666-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest near Holme in Cambridgeshire. It is also a National Nature Reserve...

Holme railway station (Cambridgeshire)

Holme railway station is a former station in Holme, Cambridgeshire. == History == The first section of the Great Northern Railway (GNR) - that from Louth...

Battle of the Holme

The Battle of the Holme took place in East Anglia on 13 December 902 where the Anglo-Saxon men of Wessex and Kent fought against the Danelaw and East Anglian...

Admiral Wells

The Admiral Wells is a public house in Holme, Huntingdonshire, now in Cambridgeshire. Nearby Holme Fen is 2.75 metres (9.0 feet) below sea level, and the...

Whittlesey Mere

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Nearby Amenities

Located within 500m of 52.490098,-0.22684318
Holme Post
Description: they show peat shrinkage
Historic: memorial
Lat/Long: 52.4892036/-0.2299056
Power: pole
Lat/Long: 52.4934015/-0.2272664
Power: pole
Lat/Long: 52.4938124/-0.227073
Power: pole
Lat/Long: 52.4944761/-0.22662
Leisure: bird_hide
Lat/Long: 52.4898506/-0.231757
Information: board
Tourism: information
Lat/Long: 52.4891868/-0.23014
Holme Post
Description: they show peat shrinkage
Historic: memorial
Lat/Long: 52.4891543/-0.2299749
The data included in this document is from www.openstreetmap.org. The data is made available under ODbL.

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