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Lincolnshire Wolds
About Us
Managing
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Visiting
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Community/Grants
Education
Contacts
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Leaders must contact
each site prior to visiting, and a preliminary site visit is
strongly recommended in order for group leaders to familiarise
themselves with the site and its educational possibilities.
| SITE NAME: |
11.
The
Elms Farm, Swaby |
See map |
| CONTACT NAME: |
Fiona
Anderson or Phil Gibson |
| SITE ADDRESS: |
The
Elms Farm, Church Lane, Swaby, Alford, Lincolnshire, LN13 0BQ |
| TELEPHONE: |
(01507)
480402 / 07748 412475 |
| SITE DESCRIPTION: |
Once part
of the Ancaster Estate, this award-winning conservation farm has been
in the Gibson Family since 1912. Traditionally a mixed farm, its
unique diversity of habitat and landscape provides an excellent
introduction to glacial, natural and local history for both scholar
and visitor alike. Boasting a wide glacial valley, with superb
morainic deposits and medieval terracing, and a deep glacial overflow
valley (now a nationally recognised Site of Special Scientific
Interest), the farm landscape is easy to interpret. Reflecting the
owners’ respect of the natural environment, on-farm habitats have long
been sympathetically managed and a variety of sensitive habitat
creation projects undertaken (e.g. pond creation, hedgerow planting
etc), all within the context of a working agricultural unit. Wildlife
thrives – a splendid orchid display on the rich unimproved washland of
Calceby Beck, evidence of healthy badger, otter and water vole
populations, a wealth of birds – the list is endless. Add to this the
buried archaeological remains of former settlement and an impressive
sunken holloway through the chalk wold, once the pre-Enclosure route
into the village’s Middle Field, and the special-ness of this farm’s
educational archive becomes all the more apparent. |
| GROUP LEVEL: |
Ages
6 to adult groups. Suitable for some special needs groups. |
| AVAILABILITY: |
Open
all year. Two weeks notice of all group bookings please. |
| ACCESS AND PARKING: |
Easily
accessible from the main A16. Parking for coaches, minibuses and cars
available, by prior arrangement, in the farmyard. Neither the longer
(3.5km) nor the shorter (2km) circular walk is suitable for wheelchair
users or pushchairs. |
| FACILITIES: |
The
owners are very happy to lead guided walks or tours around the farm
when available. Evening and weekend walks by arrangement. Toilet
facilities are available in the farmhouse for small groups only.
Currently limited undercover facilities. |
| EXTRA INFORMATION: |
Education
pack available from address above. Source
material currently available. |
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