Am Ginsterpfad

The terrain is varied. The old pits have given rise to several still-water bodies of differing sizes. The largest lies in the north, carrying submerged and floating-leaved plants along with a small reed bed on its western edge; smaller pools are scattered further south, some vegetated, some bare. Part of the raw ground has developed into dry grassland dotted with occasional bushes, while the steep outer margin is almost continuously wooded, screening the site from the world around it. To the east, on higher ground, adjoins a lush meadow that is occasionally grazed by domestic sheep, with a small patch of woodland to the south of it. All around lie cultivated fields, and to the west and south allotment gardens, some of them permanently inhabited.

The waters serve as a spawning ground for the great crested newt and common toad, among others, as well as for the strictly protected natterjack and green toads. Through the summer months, countless dragonflies populate the damp sections and in turn draw in hobbies, small falcons that feed on the flying insects. Birds such as the lapwing and red-backed shrike breed here, while others use the site as a staging post on migration and as winter quarters. The sandy soil is also home to ground beetles and many other insects. Native plants include sea buckthorn, wild carrot, black elder and the bee orchid.