70 Acre Hill

70 Acre Hill is adjacent to High Hazels Park and Tinsley Park golf course and it links the Trans Pennine trail from Sheffield to Rotherham. Formerly part of Tinsley park, this area was open cast mined in the late 1980’s early 1990’s. The coal seam was mostly removed and the spoil from this was used to landscape the site. The area has been re-created and taken on a new life. The landscape now includes rich grassland, wildflora, gorse scrub, woodland, woodland edge, heathland and wetland: ponds and marsh, and because of this development 70 Acre Hill has become a natural haven for many wildlife habitats: Butterflies and Moths, Amphibians, Birds.

In recent years 70 Acre Hill has also become home to Highland Cattle which graze on the hills over looking the Sheffield Airport. This relatively undiscovered site is the perfect place to take a walk, have a picnic, admire the views, meet the wildlife and for bird watching. It is also a great site for educational activities, the Darnall Green Spaces Regeneration Project have worked with Phillimore Primary School and Greenlands Junior School running Pond Dipping and Wildlife Habitat sessions.

 

Students from Sheffield University volunteered and helped the Darnall Green Spaces Regeneration Project with a pond clearance on 70-Acre Hill, Saturday 14th October 10am - 3pm.

 

As expected the students were dedicated and hard working and were not phased by having to wear thigh high waders walking through cold water. It’s not the most glamorous task and things can get very messy despite this, large areas of bull rushes were cleared and a good time seemed to be had by all.

 

It is important to clear out and maintain the pond regularly as it is a great site for educational activities such as pond dipping. The Darnall Green Spaces Regeneration Project would like to say a big thank you to the volunteers Michael Taylor, Johanna Chiu Natalie Rowley and Hannah Barker.

 

 

On Saturday 8th March 2006 Sheffield University Volunteers were out assisting the Darnall Green Spaces Regeneration Project with practical conservation tasks on 70-Acre Hill. The volunteers were taking part in "Just Do It" a one off event organised by ‘Sheffield Volunteering, University of Sheffield’. The students enjoyed, or they may argue endured a day of physical practical outdoor work including removing and replacing a fungus infested bench top and bench leg, large amounts of gorse clearance and regrading a stone path damaged by water erosion. Halfway through the day the students sat down relaxed admired the views and enjoyed lunch which included tea, coffee, water, juice, sandwiches, cup a soups and muffins.

 

A big thank you to ‘Sheffield Volunteering University of Sheffield’ and the following students Emily Burn, Hannah Mole, Sarah Shorley, William Ockendon, Tori Shaw and Rosie Clay.

 

 

For further information on 70 Acre Hill please contact The Darnall Green Spaces Regeneration Project on 0114 2446548.