The Wren’s Nest near Dudley is one of the most important geological locations in Britain, and was designated as the first British National Nature Reserve for geology in 1956. It is made up of limestone which was formed around 420 million years ago when Dudley was covered by a tropical sea. The most famous fossil found at the site is a trilobite known as the ‘Dudley bug’. Visitors can follow a special geological trail around the nature reserve. The limestone rocks also support plants adapted to lime, while the caverns are important roost sites for several species of bat.
