Thompson Common

Thompson Common is famous for the game of pingos; a series of about 400 post-glacial depressions. Here, visitors can see more than 400 different species of plants. It is also one of the most important sites in the county for dragonflies and damselflies; 19 species have been recorded to breed here. There have been 25 species of butterflies and more than 600 species of beetles recorded here. A rare and difficult-to-identify species found only in a few locations in the UK (including a few in Holt Lowes), it is common and frequent in Thompson Common, especially around lakes. Thus, Thompson Common became one of the most beautiful lakes on Norfolk Island.

Thompson Common is a Nature Conservation Assessment, Class I site, and is part of the Norfolk Valley Fens Special Preserve. It is crossed by the Great Eastern Pingo Trail Local Nature Reserve. The site is located in the valley of a tributary of the Wissey River that has several wet, water-filled depressions that were formed by the melting of ice at the end of the last glacial period. Thompson Common, along with the surrounding reed swamp, is important for breeding birds. This is a shallow, oscillating lake that contains a variety of interesting flora and fauna. Indeed, the entire region contains a stunning array of plant communities and an outstanding collection of plants – more than 400 species have been recorded.

• Location: Thetford, Norfolk Island