Goblin Combe is a valley in North Somerset

North Somerset

North Somerset is a unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered independently of the non-metropolitan county. Its administrative headquarters is in the town hall in Weston-super-Mare....

 which stretches from Redhill

Redhill, Somerset

Redhill is a village in the parish of Wrington, Somerset, England, on the A38 Bridgwater Road about south of Bristol and close to Bristol International Airport. It falls within the Unitary Authority of North Somerset-History:...

, near Bristol International Airport

Bristol International Airport

Bristol Airport , located at Lulsgate Bottom in North Somerset, is the commercial airport serving the city of Bristol, England and the surrounding area. At first it was named Bristol Lulsgate Airport and from March 1997 to March 2010 it was known as Bristol International Airport...

 on the A38

A38 road

The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...

 through to Cleeve

Cleeve, Somerset

Cleeve is a village and civil parish in the ceremonial county of Somerset, England. It is situated within the unitary authority of North Somerset, south west of Bristol and has a population of 941 .-History:...

 on the A370

A370 road

The A370 is a primary road in England running from Bristol to Weston-super-Mare and on to East Brent in Somerset. A more direct route from Bristol to East Brent is the A38.-Route:...

. The combe is located at , and is a 52 hectares (128 acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) originally notified in 1999, with 9 hectares (22 acre) being managed as a nature reserve

Nature reserve

A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...

 by the Avon Wildlife Trust

Avon Wildlife Trust

The Avon Wildlife Trust aims to protect and promote wildlife in the area of the former county of Avon — now Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, in England...

. "Combe" is the same as the Welsh word "cwm" which means valley.

Above the valley is Cleeve Toot

Cleeve Toot

Cleeve Toot is an Iron Age hillfort above Goblin Combe, Cleeve, Somerset, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.It is a roughly oval settlement which is approximately in length by in breadth. Approximately to the north is another, smaller settlement...

 an Iron Age

Iron Age

The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...

 hillfort. It is a roughly oval settlement which is approximately 125 metres (410.1 ft) in length by 90 metres (295.3 ft) in breadth. Approximately 150 metres (492.1 ft) to the north is another, smaller settlement. They are thought to have been a satellite community of nearby Cadbury Hill

Cadbury Hill

Cadbury Hill is a small hill, mostly in the civil parish of Congresbury, overlooking the village of Yatton in North Somerset. On its summit stands an Iron Age hill fort, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.-Background:...

 Pits have been found at the site indicating the presence of round houses. There is a a single stone rampart with a broad shallow outer ditch. There is also a prehistoric or Roman field system.

Folk tale

Goblin Combe has a folk tale involving primroses:

“There was a parcel of children and they was a-picking primroses, see, and one poor little dear her wandered away on her lone self right down into Goblin Combe. She were only a little trot, see, and didn't know no better. Well, when she do find she's a lost she cries, and the tears do run down her dear little face, and dap on her pinafore like summer rain, and she do throw her self against a rock. Then the rock opens and there's the fairies all come to comfort her tears. They do give her a gold ball and they lead the dear little soul safe home - on account she was carrying primroses, see.

Well, twas the wonder of the village and the conjuror he gets the notion he'd aget his fists on more than one gold ball when next the fairies opened the hill. So he do pick a bunch of primroses and he go on up Goblin Combe, and he was glad enough to get in to the rock after all he see and hear on the way up. Well, twasn't the right day, nor the right number of primroses, and he wasn't no dear little soul - so they took him!“

Flora and fauna

A population of the nationally scarce plant Stinking Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) grows on scree slopes in the combe, near Cleeve Toot

Cleeve Toot

Cleeve Toot is an Iron Age hillfort above Goblin Combe, Cleeve, Somerset, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.It is a roughly oval settlement which is approximately in length by in breadth. Approximately to the north is another, smaller settlement...

; it is native

Native plant

Native plant is a term to describe plants endemic or naturalized to a given area in geologic time.This includes plants that have developed, occur naturally, or existed for many years in an area...

 at this site. Limestone Fern (Gymnocarpum robertianum), another nationally scarce plant, is also found here on limestone scree. Other flowers include the Autumn Gentian, Autumn Ladies'-tresses

Autumn Ladies'-tresses

Spiranthes spiralis, commonly known as Autumn Lady's-tresses, is the latest-blooming native species of orchid, blooming in August and September. It is characterised by a spiral inflorescence produced after the leaves have died down. The inflorescence can be very small especially in short grazed...

 and Yellow-wort. The site also supports a varied collection of butterflies

Butterfly

A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...

, with over 30 species recorded. These include Grizzled

Grizzled Skipper

The Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus malvae is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family.-Appearance, behaviour and distribution:With its characteristic chequered black and white pattern this butterfly is quite distinctive although old, faded individuals can be mistaken for the Dingy Skipper or the Sideridis...

 and Dingy Skipper

Dingy Skipper

The Dingy Skipper, Erynnis tages, is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It ranges from Europe across Asia Minor and Central Asia to the Amur region.Erynnis tages favours open grassy habitats up to 2,000 metres above sea level...

s, Brown Argus

Brown Argus

The Brown Argus is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.-Appearance, behaviour and distribution:Although one of the "Blues" both sexes are brown on the uppersides with a band of orange spots at the border of each wing...

 and Green Hairstreak

Green Hairstreak

The Green Hairstreak, Callophrys rubi, is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae.Callophrys rubi is found in Europe, North Africa, Russia, Asia Minor, Siberia, Amurland , Baluchistan and Chitral....

.

Goblin Combe Environment Centre

Goblin Combe Environment Centre is a registered charity (No 1099543) which provides educational training and residential facilities for visiting groups. It is located within a large expanse of woodland ridges at the start of Goblin Combe. The centre's aim is to provide a wide range of environmental education to all ages and all sectors of the community. It uses the woods to provide a teaching space in a 'classroom without walls', and a dynamic learning environment for natural history.

Source

• English Nature citation sheet for the site (accessed on 16 July 2006)