Roughdown Common, Scientific interest site in Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom
Roughdown Common is a site of special scientific interest featuring chalk grassland on steeply sloping terrain in the Chilterns near Hemel Hempstead. The meadows support wild grasses like meadow fescue and meadow oat-grass alongside several orchid species across the uneven hillside.
The site was originally worked as a chalk quarry using pillar and stall mining methods before being purchased in 1886 by the Box Moor Trust. This acquisition marked the shift from commercial extraction to its current status as a protected natural area.
The place draws its name from its rough, sloping terrain and serves today as a spot where visitors experience the chalk grassland landscape of the Chilterns firsthand. People come here to walk through open spaces and observe the plants and flowers that grow across the hillside.
You can reach the site via footpaths branching from the junction of Roughdown Road and Roughdown Avenue, which lead into the quarry area. An information panel near the quarry entrance helps orient visitors as they explore the walking routes available across the terrain.
This site is the only place in Hertfordshire where juniper naturally regenerates and supplies a local distillery with plants for producing regional gin. This link between the natural ecosystem and traditional craft production makes the location particularly valuable in an unexpected way.
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