Cooper's Hill

Cooper’s Hill is an 18-hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the edge of Ampthill in Bedfordshire. The hill was legally protected in 1984 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. A smaller part of the site, 12.7 hectares, also holds Local Nature Reserve status. The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire manages part of the land. Ampthill Town Council owns the freehold. Natural England calls it Bedfordshire’s best surviving example of heathland on thin acidic soils of the Lower Greensand Ridge. Marshy patches and woodland add variety to the open heath. Access points lie off Alameda Road and Station Road. Visitors follow grassy paths that wind across heather and gorse. Marsh orchids and other wildflowers appear in summer. Woodland birds nest among oak and birch. The hilltop offers wide views over Ampthill and the surrounding countryside.