The National Forest

Morley Quarry LNR

This series of disused stone quarries is owned and managed by Charnwood Borough Council as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR).  A Regionally Important Geological Site, the quarry contains rocks formed over 600 million years ago. On the east face of the quarry you can see white lines of Quartz, while red bands of rocks near the top of the face are evidence that the quarry was part of a prehistoric desert.

The quarries support areas of grass heath that include heather, gorse, wavy hair grass and heath bedstraw, while the thin soils on the quarry face support some uncommon plants such as bird's foot.  The ponds support a large breeding population of toads and water plants such as branched burr reed and yellow water lily.  On sunny days, look out for the many species of butterfly which inhabit the site.

Please exercise caution and do not climb over the barriers of approach the quarry edge.

A leaflet is available from Charnwood Borough Council.

Woodland key