Interesting Places

Greystone Hill and Lydes Hill are adjacent landscapes situated on the western side of the Sid Valley near Sidmouth in. They lie adjacent to Muttersmoor and alongside Bulverton, on the western flank of the valley. As one of the woodland sites surveyed, they are located on high ground outside of the town area. Greystone and Lydes Hill are designated as primarily woodland within the Sidmouth Nature project survey. They are classified as A0 - Woodland and Scrub, which is supported by the underlying Upper Greensand geology. Upper Greensands are generally found on the high ground on the valley sides. Much of the land is under private ownership. The area is characterized by a blend of commercial forestry and natural habitats. The eastern slopes of these hills are predominantly covered by commercial conifer plantations. These plantations are noted as being generally detrimental to native flora and fauna because the dense conifers suppress naturally occurring species. A significant feature that...