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Moaney and Crawyn’s Meadows

Location: Cooil Bane, Sulby, Isle of Man

Grid reference: SC 375 957 (entrance to reserve)

Moaney and Crawyn’s Meadows are fine examples of traditional hay meadows rich in wild flowers. They lie to the northeast of the Ballaugh Curragh (curragh means willow marsh in Manx Gaelic), the largest and most important wetland on the Isle of Man. Many unimproved grasslands fringing the curragh have been lost, but Moaney and Crawyn’s Meadows are now a safe haven for wildlife.

Moaney and Crawyn’s Meadows are under traditional management, which involves cutting the meadows for hay in late summer followed by light grazing. This is vital for the conservation of wild flower meadows. The Meadows have never been re-seeded or treated with pesticides and artificial fertilisers.

The purchase of this nature reserve was made possible by Timotei.

Wildflowers at the reserve

WHAT TO SEE AND WHEN

June: yellow iris, yellow-rattle, heath spotted-orchid, royal fern, greater butterfly-orchid, creeping buttercup

July: yellow bartsia, purple-loosestrife, black knapweed, greater bird's-foot-trefoil, silverweed, tormentil

The Meadows support a diverse range of plants characteristic of traditional hay meadows and wetland habitats. Yellow-rattle, yellow bartsia, purple-loosestrife, knapweed and heath spotted-orchids are all found here. The fields are one of only five sites on the Isle of Man known for the pale sedge. Traditional Manx sod hedges form the boundaries to the meadows and are lined with rusty sallow and an attractive silver birch tree.

The large and spectacular royal fern thrives on the hedges and a patch of yellow iris is also present in one corner of the field. Greater butterfly-orchids have been recorded in the past. The diversity of flowering plants attracts a range of insects, particularly butterflies, moths, bees and hoverflies.

Birds such as moorhen, snipe, curlew and migrant warblers can also be seen here. The adjacent curragh supports the largest winter roost of hen harriers in western Europe - you may be lucky enough to see these impressive birds of prey.

Directions

Click here to download a map of the reserve.


From Sulby or Ballaugh, leave the TT course at the Sulby Glen Hotel, heading north on the Clenagh road (A14). After one mile, turn left at the minor crossroads (signposted Ballaugh Curragh). Follow this road, passing through two sharp bends, after which there is a small layby on the right hand side sufficient for four or five cars. The meadows are situated just a few yards further on, to the left.