Bells Grooves is a species-rich combination of marshy grassland, calaminarian grassland, heathland and scrub, with the river East Allen flowing through.  

Seasonal highlights

This is a fantastic site for bees, with bilberry, moss and broken-belted bumblebees all making use of the wildflower-rich grassland. Six-spot burnet moths, four-spotted orb weavers, bumblebee hoverflies and figwort weevils are found in the grassland, while scrub is used by two-banded longhorn beetles and tree slugs. The river is home to numerous riverflies, including the Welshman’s button caddisfly and angler’s curse mayfly.

• Car parking: lay-by, Dirt Pot, Allenheads, Northumberland, NE47 9HE
• Grid reference: NY 85078 46466
• Survey route length: 0.6 miles
• Terrain: the route follows rough, narrow paths on uneven ground with some wet areas and slopes.