Photo 1 - Looking East Along Rake Bottom Towards Butser

Highlights

• Dramatic steep-sided valley running west from Butser Hill
• Butser Hill is the highest point on the South Downs
• Rake bottom is a good site for Duke of Burgundy, Green Hairstreak, Dingy & Grizzled Skipper during May
• Excellent area for hill walks

Description

Butser Hill is situated on the east Hampshire chalk which forms part of the South Downs. It a very prominent landmark not only because it is the highest point on the South Downs but is also the site for a TV transmitter. The area consists of improved and unimproved calcerous grassland with scattered scrub, chalk heath, yew woodland and semi broad-leaved woodland.

Parts of the Butser Hill area have special designations, including a National Nature Reserve, Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Scheduled Ancient Monument reflecting its historical significance, particularly in respect of the iron and bronze ages. Butser Hill summit can be approached part of the way by car (pay and display car park), taking a minor road signposted from the main A3 London-Portsmouth Road just south of the Queen Elizabeth Country Park. There is refreshment kiosk close to the summit which is open in season, but more extensive visitor facilities are provided at the Queen Elizabeth Country Park Visitor Centre on the other side of the A3. The summit is worth a visit in its own right and provides magnificent views over Portsmouth, the Solent and the Isle of White. Walks can be made in various directions from it, providing a spectrum from gentle downland slopes, steep valleys to semi-ancient woodland - and an iron age hill fort.

The particular area of Butser Hill chosen for the site feature, is the steep sided valley called ‘Rake Bottom’ (Photo 1 above and arrowed on this map), also known as ‘Grandfather’s Bottom’. The Rake is the slope running North West from Butser summit, and Rake Bottom is the valley cutting into its the western flank. The valley is home to numerous butterfly species, including 4 of our less common ones, namely Duke of Burgundy, Green Hairstreak, Grizzled Skipper and Dingy Skipper. The flight periods of these species all overlap so in theory at least they could all be seen during the same visit, mid May being the most likely time.

Whilst one can approach Rake Bottom from Butser Hill summit by descending the Rake, an alternative is to approach along a track from the north (limited parking). A metal gate at the western end of the valley as it turns north allows access (note the gate is normally locked but the notices indicate prohibations not to cycle and to keep dogs on a lead).

Photo 2 - Chalk Scrub Looking North from Gate

Looking north from from the gate (Photo 2), the chalk scrub is uneven, due to anthills, and there are plenty of bushes such as blackthorn, hawthorn and bramble. Green Hairstreak, Duke of Burgundy, Dingy and Grizzled Skipper can all be found here, the former normally on or around the bushes, the latter two close to ground on low vegetation.

In the other direction along the valley, towards Butser (top photo), the open chalk downland slope on the left also has Dingy and Grizzled Skipper. The bushes close to the valley floor are also a good place to look for Green Hairstreak. Finally there is another colony of Duke of Burgundy close to the head of the valley in the scrubby areas on the left and also on the steep slope dropping down from the heights of Butser. They can occasionally be seen at the edge of the valley floor itself basking on low vegetation or on chalk stones.