Beacon Hill is the second highest point in Leicestershire, standing 245m high (802 feet), and is the site of a Bronze Age hill fort. Beacon Hill's volcanic rocks are rich in fossils and go back 600 million years, making them among the oldest in England. One of the earliest sea organisms - the Charnia Discus was once found here. The summit of Beacon Hill offers great views across the surrounding countryside. The open heathland around the slopes of Beacon Hill provides an important habitat for a wide range of plants, insects, birds and mammals. The heathland requires active management. The gradual spread of bracken, scrub and trees on the heathland has threatened native plant communities, but now their spread is kept in check by the park's rangers.
Most of the wooded areas on the park have had to be replanted due to widescale felling before and during the Second World War. These wooded areas provide homes for a great variety of insects, birds and animals. | 
