Greenfield Road is a small reserve on a former floodplain of Colne Water. The reserve was once the area of a mill leat and pond for Greenfield Mill. The mill was destroyed by fire in 1885 and was a major factor in forming Colne volunteer fire brigade. Today the only real evidence of the mill is the mill leat and the area is now managed as a nature reserve.
Our Work With Greenfield Road
The Trust became involved with the reserve in 2003 and has made major improvements to access on the reserve. In late 2005 600m of footpath was resurfaced by Pendle's Environmental Action Group. The ponds at Greenfield Road support numerous species including insects such as water boatmen and diving beetles. In spring, frogspawn and tadpoles can be seen in the pond and wetland area. Frogs can be seen all year round. Wetland plants such as Flag Iris and Marsh Marigold Grow in the marginal areas surrounding the pond. In 2005 Pond our Conservation team created a new pond for use as an educational resource.
In 2006 The Wildlife Trust secured funding to redesign information boards throughout the reserve and create a reserve leaflet. Regular school visits are made to the reserve both independently and with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust's Education Team.
What To See
Greenfield Road supports numerous bird species including a lively flock of long-tailed tits and Britain's smallest bird, the Goldcrest. Species such as blue tit, robin and chaffinch can be seen. Many of these can be attracted to the food on the bird tables near the pond. Kingfishers can often be seen as a flash of blue in their flight along Colne Water. Along with herons they can regularly be seen by the river or pond catching small fish.
The sewerage works across the river attracts large numbers of birds including pied 
wagtails, grey wagtails and redshanks.
A floral survey by Lancashire Wildlife Trust in 2003 identified 156 species including 25 grasses, 42 trees and 89 herbaceous plants.
The areas of woodland at Greenfield Road are mainly young plantation and scrubland
The term scrub is often used to describe areas dominated by shrubby plants usually up to about 5 metres tall. Eventually scrub areas tend to be taken over by taller trees forming woodland. Dominant scrub species at Greenfield Road include Hawthorn, Elder and Hazel.
Larger trees are present throughout the reserve include Ash, Alder, Birch and Poplars. Near the pond is a large Crack Willow which, although fallen, is still alive.
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Site Summary
Size: 3.2 hectares
Owned by: Pendle Borough Council
Managed by: Pendle Borough Council
Declared a Local Nature Reserve in 2006
Location: Greenfield Road is located on the border between Colne and Nelson. Access by car is off the northbound side of Whitewalls Drive heading towards the M65. There is a small car park on the reserve.
Leeds & Liverpool Canal: Exiting at Barrowford Locks near the motorway bridge the reserve is 200m west along Greenfield Road.
Access through the reserve is not a right of way. A public footpath and cycleway (Sustrans route 68) runs along Greenfield Road to the north of the reserve
For more information about this reserve contact
Pendle Borough Council
Chris Binney
Environmental Improvement
Planning Policy and Conservation
Town Hall, Market Street
Nelson
Lancashire
BB9 7LG
tel: 01282 661 661
email: Chris Binney
