| West Pit | |
| Type: | Local Nature Reserve |
| Grid Ref Uk: | TL 484 558 |
| Location: | Cherry Hinton, Cambridgeshire |
| Area: | 4.3 hectares |
| Manager: | Cambridge City Council |
West Pit is a 4.3 hectare Local Nature Reserve in Cherry Hinton, on the south-eastern outskirts of Cambridge.[1] It is part of the Cherry Hinton Pit biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which includes the neighbouring East Pit.[2] [3]
This former chalk quarry is now steeply sloping woodland with a caravan park in the centre. The woodland has been designated an SSSI due to the presence of a plant on the British Red List of Threatened Species, the moon carrot.[1] [2]
The site has been designated a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) by Cambridge City Council, which shows it as one LNR[1] and East Pit and Limekiln Close as another LNR.[4] However, the LNRs are confused on the Natural England website. One is shown as Limekiln Close and West Pit on the details page,[5] but the map only covers Limekiln Close.[6] The other LNR is shown on the details page as East Pit,[7] whereas the map covers both East and West Pits.[8]
There is access to the site from the entrance to the caravan park on Limekiln Road.