Welcome to Croft Close Set-aside, a magical 11 acres of wilderness, woodland, open areas and ancient history which the Villages of Histon & Impington are buying to give nature a home and protect the area from development...forever.

Croft Close Set-aside is a green space being reclaimed by nature. For the last 20 years this formerly arable field has been left largely unmanaged resulting in a rich mosaic of habitats packed into only 4.5 ha. This site has recently received County Wildlife Site status and has the potential to become a Local Nature Reserve.

To find Croft Close Set Aside you can find a map to its location here and how to get around it here.

Enjoy taking a walk and exploring your way along the footpaths which criss-cross through the area. You will find there are two exits onto Gun's Lane as well as the entrance at the end of Croft Close. If you head straight down the path from the end of Croft Close you will see the Old Oak tree on your left hand side. It is over 500 years old and has shed several limbs in the past twenty years.

Carry on following the path back into the set-aside and enjoy the huge variety of trees and shrubs growing in this special place. There are fruit trees, rowan ash, sycamore, field maple, oak, silver birch, holme oak and many others. The wild flowers fill it with colour and are alive with bees, butterflies, moths insects and other creatures. The floor is often carpeted in fungi too. If you would like to see some photos, please join Abbeyfields Facebook page. For pictures and video footage of the creatures living here join the Histon & Impington Wildlife Facebook page. Foxes, muntjac deer, squirrels, rabbits, badgers and mice have all made this place their home. There are frogs, newts and grass snakes and lizards here too in the small pond area.

There are numerous birds living here, and many red and amber listed species including the much endangered turtle dove. Two years ago there were two nesting pairs, last year one pair but in 2021 just one lone male has been calling for a mate with no success.

The diversity of the habitat makes it appealing to so many species. The huge ant hills (which are a big trip hazard!) are food for the green woodpeckers which live here and you might be lucky enough to hear their cackling call as you walk around. You might see linnets, yellow hammers and red polls (in the late Winter and early Spring). Wrens, thrushes, blackbirds, long tailed tits, robins and all the usual garden birds can be seen here and the sparrows are really making a comeback.

In the Summer, enjoy an evening walk here and sit and enjoy the warmth of the sun as it sets across the top, right hand area of the field...known as Fairyland. Further round to the right you might come across Willow Walk, an area flanked by huge willow trees and two parallel paths which have reappeared over the last twenty years. Is it an ancient roadway? The past really is re-emerging and creating a mystery which we can all enjoy. The theory is that the ancient ridge and furrow ploughing methods have encouraged the oak trees to grow in lines....the furrows, which are lass compacted.

Do enjoy taking pictures and feel free to share them on the Facebook pages. You will find so many new species as the seasons change and in the winter, when just the skeleton trees are left it takes on a new beauty. There are many dead trees here...many of the ash trees suffered from ash die back. The standing dead wood plays host to countless creatures and micro-organisms...look closely...there are some beautiful intricate lichens to enjoy.

The land is very waterlogged in Winter so mind your step...wellingtons are recommended and walking poles if you are unsteady on your feet. Even in the Summer, some paths are slippery after recent rain...it is not the place to walk in open toed sandals. The paths need to be kept clear so we can all enjoy walking here in this special place. Your help would be much appreciated. We organise occasional work parties and also encourage people to 'adopt a path' which they can keep clear. It is very calming being here so please do get in touch if you can help in any way. You can email us at sitemanagers@abbeyfieldsonline.

Thank you for your interest and do visit again soon. If you can support us your contribution, however small would be very welcome.