Apart from the world renowned Cheese Rolling slope, this reserve is also comprised of over 100 acres of ancient beechwood, open scrub and grassland. It is part of the Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation (SAC) recognising its value in a European context. 

About the reserve

Coopers Hill Local Nature Reserve is an area of ancient beech woodland situated to the south-east of Gloucester on the Cotswold escarpment. The reserve is an internationally important wildlife area forming part of the larger Cotswold Commons and Beechwoods Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation. It is an outstanding example of Atlantic Beech woodland and has a wide diversity of woodland plants and animals. The site also forms part of the High Botheridge Camp Scheduled Ancient Monument.  It supports a rich woodland flora including bluebell early purple orchid, sanicle, wood spurge and bird’s nest orchid. It was once thought to hold a population of the very rare red helleborine, so a species to look out for.