About Wick Quarry

Wick village is situated half way between Bristol and Bath. The village is a linear settlement with a mixture of old stone properties and more recent modern housing.

The Quarry lies on the outskirts of the village on the edge of the Cotswold Hills. Over 450,000 tonnes of stone is crushed each year to produce limestone aggregates, which are used for road construction and other concrete products. The quarry is operated by CEMEX and employs over 70 staff.

Despite the regular blasting, the quarry provides an ideal habitat for nesting birds in the form of steep vertical cliffs. A pair of ravens nest on the same face as the peregrines. Kestrels also nest at the quarry and can often be seen hovering above the grassland and newly planted woodland. A whole variety of other wildlife can also be observed including deer and fox.

Wick Golden Valley Local Nature Reserve
The Quarry was extended a few years ago and as part of the planning condition the quarry operator gave up its mining rights to quarry on an area of land called Raven's Rock. This area of unimproved limestone grassland is an important habitat and home to a great variety of wildlife flowers and butterflies. Below Raven's Rock lies the River Boyd that runs through the Golden Valley, an area that once saw the processing of red ochre.

In March 2005 the local community celebrated when all this land became a Local Nature Reserve. The reserve is still owned by CEMEX but is managed in partnership with South Gloucestershire Council and the Friends of Wick Golden Valley LNR.

The reserve is a great place to visit. A short walk to Raven's Rock rewards you with spectacular views of the Quarry and Peregrine nest. Find out more by visiting www.golden-valley.info.