Le Don Paton

Le Don Paton is a large area (78 vergees/14 ha) of coastal land, the centre part of which is divided into fields. The site, which is located between Sorel Point and Les Mouriers Valley on Jersey’s spectacular north coast, was donated to the National Trust for Jersey by Sir Angus Paton in 1995. A popular coastal footpath runs through the site, offering breathtaking views over the sea and to most of the other Channel Islands.

Flora and Fauna

The site was formerly coastal heathland, but in the 1950’s much of it was converted to farmland. Crops including potatoes were grown, and cattle grazing took place until 2002, but with the recent agricultural decline this has now ceased and the fields are becoming overgrown.

One of the smaller fields offers a stunning display of Foxgloves in late spring, and a good variety of other wildflowers also occurs, including Red Campion, Sheepsbit, Tormentil, Sheep’s Sorrel and Bird’s foot Trefoil. These attract numerous insects, such as the curious Hummingbird Hawk-moth, and butterflies including the Wall Brown, Gatekeeper, Grayling and Common Blue. Green Lizards can sometimes be seen sunning themselves on the banks dividing the fields.

The seaward side of the former agricultural fields is dominated by dense thickets of Gorse, interspersed with Bramble, Bracken and some Heather. From the coastal path, which passes through this area, the land slopes down very steeply towards the sea. The slopes are largely bracken-dominated, but in some places, particularly where there are rocky outcrops supporting short rabbit-grazed turf, a wider variety of coastal wildflowers occurs. These include tiny, delicate species such as Shepherd’s Cress and Sand Crocus. More conspicuous are the white drifts of Sea Campion, which contrast wonderfully with the pale pink of the Thrift.

The sheltered banks of the coastal path also support a good assortment of wildflowers, some of which would normally be more associated with woodland. These include Primrose, Dog Violet, Lesser Celandine and Greater Stitchwort. The thick, fleshy disc-shaped leaves of the Navelwort are also a familiar sight along the path side banks.

The range of habitat types at Don Paton, and the open views across the site itself and out to sea, offer good opportunities for glimpsing a good variety of birdlife. Seabirds regularly seen from here include the Herring and Greater Black-backed Gulls, Fulmar, Cormorant and Shag. A Kestrel can almost always been seen hunting over the site, and smaller birds include the colourful Stonechat (Saxicola torquata) and Linnet.

Site Management

The site was previously rented to an agricultural tenant, and although the organic farming methods used in later years were sympathetic to wildlife, the National Trust for Jersey has found it increasingly difficult to let such marginal land. In view of this, a radical decision to restore the previously farmed areas to coastal heathland was taken, and work will commence during 2003.

Heathland soils are generally very acidic and low in nutrients, and a recent soil survey undertaken by the Trust at Don Paton revealed the need to increase the soil’s acidity and reduce its fertility if plants such as heather were to thrive. In some parts of the site, this process may well occur naturally without any management input, but in other areas the soil acidity (or pH) will be lowered by applying agricultural sulphur. Heather cuttings from a local site will then be spread over the treated area to encourage colonisation. This method has already been used with considerable success in heathland restoration schemes elsewhere, notably by the National Trust in Dorset.

The restoration programme is likely to take several years, during which time its progress will be monitored. The eventual aim will be the re-creation of a wildlife-rich heathland, which will significantly increase the area of this threatened habitat in Jersey.

Elsewhere on the site, the existing stands of gorse tend to be fairly even-aged and declining in vigour; this will eventually lead to a decline in the wildlife value of these areas, as well as an increasing fire risk as dead material accumulates. A rotational gorse cutting programme will therefore be introduced to improve habitat quality.

Visitor Access and Facilities

Don Paton is worth a visit at any time of the year, although it is at its most colourful during spring and summertime. The well-maintained coastal footpath offers excellent access to the site from the nearby Sorel Point car park to the north, or from the attractive Les Mouriers Valley to the south. From here it is only a further short walk to Devil’s Hole, the terminus of Bus No.7 from St. Helier.