Billa Barra Lane, Stanton under Bardon, Leicestershire, LE67 9PD
Billa Barra Hill Local Nature Reserve
Mixed-habitat reserve
Place photograph
7.2
Wildland
1–2 hours
Time
Free parking is documented
Cost
Peaceful
Feel
Why it's Wildland
7.2Billa Barra is a hill of exceptionally old rocks: its outcrops are around 560 million years old, and the hill has stood above younger surrounding deposits for a remarkable span of geological time.
This is more than a hilltop walk: Billa Barra combines rocky outcrops, locally significant acid grassland and a fossil story measured in hundreds of millions of years. Its steep, uneven grassy paths lead to a viewpoint across Charnwood Forest.
Peaceful · Big-sky · Wild
Find your way
Open mapBilla Barra Lane, Stanton under Bardon, Leicestershire, LE67 9PD
Opening map…
Know this place a little better?
The experience
Follow a marked trail up the hill, take in the viewpoint and look for the rocky outcrops and fossil interpretation associated with Charniodiscus. Expect grassy paths, steep inclines and uneven ground.
Things to do
Follow a marked hill trail
Walk the grassy paths through the reserve and climb towards the hilltop. The terrain has steep inclines and uneven ground.
Take in the hilltop viewpoint
Pause at the dramatic viewpoint for views across the surrounding landscape. Clear weather should help with visibility; no specific sunset claim is verified by the supplied sources.
Discover the Charniodiscus fossil story
Use the Charnwood Forest Geopark geosite interpretation to learn about the 560-million-year-old fossil and the ancient rocks at Billa Barra.
Look for the rocky outcrops
Notice the outcrops of the Bradgate Formation. The source describes Billa Barra as a Regionally Important Geological Site.
Explore the reserve’s habitat contrasts
The hilltop includes acid grassland and an old conifer plantation; slopes below the gorse scrub line include improved grassland being planted with native broadleaved trees.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · About 1–2 hours; exact walk duration not stated
Quick hilltop geology walk
- 01
Start at the small car park on Billa Barra Lane.
- 02
Follow a marked grassy trail uphill, allowing for steep inclines and uneven ground.
- 03
Pause at the dramatic viewpoint and look for the hill’s rocky outcrops.
- 04
Find the geosite’s wooden fossil sculpture and read the Charniodiscus story.
Half day · Half day; suggested, not an official itinerary
Make time for the landscape and its deep-time story
- 01
Explore the marked trails and compare the open acid grassland with the old conifer plantation described in the site information.
- 02
Spend time at the viewpoint, then seek out the rocky outcrops and the Charniodiscus fossil interpretation.
- 03
Before setting out, check the Charnwood Forest Geopark’s first-animals itinerary for the other geosites; the supplied source says there are five, but does not provide enough detail here to recommend a specific full-day circuit.
Verified history
Billa Barra is a local nature reserve in Hinckley and Bosworth. The site was purchased by the borough council with grant aid from the National Forest Company; some land was donated by Tarmac, and the reserve was a focus for fundraising in 1996–97. Its hilltop outcrops are part of the Bradgate Formation and are around 560 million years old. The Charnwood Forest Geopark presents Billa Barra as a geosite for learning about the fossil Charniodiscus. The supplied sources do not substantiate the source-row claim that the name comes from an Old English word for hill.
Hidden details
A hill far older than its surroundings — The Geopark says the rocks at Billa Barra are around 560 million years old and that the hill remains prominent among much younger Triassic deposits. Its page describes the site as having been a hill for a quarter of a billion years.
A rare lichen in the quarry pools — The supplied site description reports that pools in the abandoned quarry support a rare lichen found at only one other site in Leicestershire. It does not establish a safe or permitted route to view the pools, so do not leave paths or approach the water on this basis.
When to go
· Choose a clear day for the viewpoint; no specific time-of-day advantage is verified.
The reserve is described as a year-round site, and its marked trails and geological features are not limited to one season. Seasonal wildlife or flower peaks are not established by the supplied sources.
The trails are grassy and the ground can be steep and uneven. Check conditions before visiting, and take care on wet or slippery ground.
The route
- surface
- Grassy paths
- difficulty
- Steep inclines and uneven ground
- waymarking
- Marked trails
- start point
- Billa Barra Lane, Stanton under Bardon; small car park on Billa Barra Lane, LE67 9PU
- parking start
- Free parking is available in a small car park on Billa Barra Lane, LE67 9PU.
- Hilltop viewpoint
- Rocky outcrops of the Bradgate Formation
- Charniodiscus fossil geosite interpretation
- Acid grassland and old conifer plantation
Worth pairing with
Other Charnwood Forest fossil geosites
The Geopark identifies Billa Barra as one of five geosites about Charnwood Forest fossils and links to a first-animals itinerary. Check that itinerary for current details before planning a wider trip.
What to look for
Look for the rocky outcrops of the Bradgate Formation and the Charnwood Forest geosite’s wooden fossil sculpture interpreting Charniodiscus. The quarry pools support a rare lichen, but the supplied sources do not identify a reliable visitor viewing point.
The story
Geology and deep time
Best time to go
Year-round; spring and summer for the grassland and wildlife, and clear-weather days for the views.
Choose a clear day for the views. Spring and summer are useful seasons for exploring the hill’s habitats; exact wildlife timings are not established by the supplied sources.
How long to spend
1–2 hours
Perfect for
Walkers · Photographers · Wildlife lovers · History lovers
Practical information
Opening & access
A local nature reserve with grassy paths, marked trails and a dramatic viewpoint. The site has steep inclines and uneven ground; check current access information before visiting.
Check before visiting
Parking
Free parking is available in a small car park on Billa Barra Lane, LE67 9PU.
Toilets
Check before visiting.
Check before visiting
Food & drink
Check before visiting.
Check before visiting
Dogs
Check current site guidance before visiting; the supplied sources do not specify dog rules.
Check before visiting
Accessibility
Grassy paths with steep inclines and uneven ground; not all areas are accessible. Check before visiting if you need step-free access.
Check before visiting
Cost
Free parking is documented; other costs are not stated.
Water
Quarry pools are present; no water activities or access permission are established.
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Billa Barra Hill Local Nature Reserve
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
Hill Hole Nature Reserve
Hill Lane, near Markfield, Leicestershire, LE67 9UD
1.9 km away
Kelham Bridge Nature Reserve
Ravenstone, near Coalville, Leicestershire
6.3 km away
New Lount Nature Reserve
Melbourne Road, Newbold Coleorton, Leicestershire LE67 8JH
10.0 km away