Charnwood Forest is a hilly tract in north-western Leicestershire, England, bounded by Leicester, Loughborough and Coalville. The area is undulating, rocky and picturesque, with barren areas. It also has some extensive tracts of woodland; its elevation is generally 600 feet (180 m) and upwards, the area exceeding this height being about 6,100 acres (25 km2). The highest point, Bardon Hill, is 912 feet (278 m). On its western flank lies an abandoned coalfield, with Coalville and other former mining villages, now being regenerated and replanted as part of the National Forest. The M1 motorway, between junctions 22 and 23, cuts through Charnwood Forest.
The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT) is one of 46 wildlife trusts across the United Kingdom. It manages nature reserves in Leicestershire and Rutland, and was founded in 1956 as the Leicestershire and Rutland Trust for Nature Conservation. As of January 2018, it has over 16,000 members, a staff of about 25 and more than 500 volunteers. It is based in Leicester, and is managed by a Council of Trustees which is elected by the members. It is a charity which covers all aspects of nature conservation, and works to protect wild places and wildlife.
Charnwood Lodge is a 134.2-hectare (332-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Charnwood Forest, east of Coalville in Leicestershire. It is a national nature reserve, and contains two Geological Conservation Review sites. It is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Thrapston Station Quarry is a 4.5-hectare (11-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Thrapston in Northamptonshire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site. It was formerly called the Thrapston Midland Railway Station Quarry.
Bardon Hill Quarry is a 58.2-hectare (144-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Coalville in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
Beacon Hill, Hangingstone and Outwoods is a 147.5-hectare (364-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) south of Loughborough in Leicestershire. It is also a Geological Conservation Review and a Nature Conservation Review site. The Outwoods and Beacon Hill are part of The National Forest. Two areas in the SSSI, Beacon Hill and Jubilee Woods are country parks managed by Leicestershire County Council, and The Outwoods is managed by Charnwood Borough Council.
Bradgate Park and Cropston Reservoir is a 399.7-hectare (988-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest north–west of Leicester. It is also a Nature Conservation Review site, and Bradgate Park contains Geological Conservation Review sites and a Scheduled Monument.
Enderby Warren Quarry is a 1.7-hectare (4.2-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Enderby in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
Croft and Huncote Quarry is a 35.3-hectare (87-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Croft in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
Newhurst Quarry is a 9.5 hectares geological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the southern outskirts of Shepshed in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
Sproxton Quarry is a 5.4 hectares geological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-east of Sproxton in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
Breedon Cloud Wood and Quarry is a 63.3 hectares biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-east of Worthington in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site. An area of 33 hectares is managed as a nature reserve by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Main Quarry or Castle Hill Quarry is a 14.7 hectares geological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Mountsorrel in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
One Barrow Plantation is a 1.8 hectares geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) south-west of Shepshed in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site. Part of the site is in the Blackbrook Reservoir biological SSSI.
Ives Head is a 5 hectares geological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Shepshed in Leicestershire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
Bognor Common Quarry is a 25.1-hectare (62-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Petworth in West Sussex. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
Philpot's and Hook Quarries is a 2.6-hectare (6.4-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest south-west of Sharpthorne in West Sussex. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
Sharp's Hill Quarry is a 2.4-hectare (5.9-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Banbury in Oxfordshire. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
