Wildlife reserves · South East England
Rack Marsh
In or near Bagnor.
Rack Marsh — Nature Reserve in Berkshire, England.
Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 2 h–4 h
- Best time of year
- Autumn & winter (migration & wildfowl)
- Nearest railway station
- Newbury · 3.2 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Rack Marsh, the nearest railway station is Newbury, located 3.2 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is RG20 8AQ, and entry to the wildlife reserve is free.
About
Rack Marsh is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom. Part of Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain. Wikidata describes it as: "Nature Reserve in Berkshire, England". Coordinates: 51.4202°, -1.3511°.
Photo gallery
Official information
Rack Marsh is a historic wet meadow located in the Lambourn valley, showcasing a diverse range of wetland wildflowers and bird species. Visitors can explore the natural habitat, which includes unique flora and fauna, particularly during the late spring and summer months.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Lambourn SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Kennet SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Wessex Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Rack Marsh is a 4-hectare (9.9-acre) nature reserve in Bagnor, on the north-western outskirts of Newbury in Berkshire. It is managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. It is part of Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain, which is a Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, and a Nature Conservation Review site. It is also part of the Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain Special Area of Conservation.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
There is evidence of prehistoric activity in the area: a prehistoric canoe was discovered in the layer of peat by some labourers who were digging a ditch to form a boundary of a garden. In 1996 the discovery of the rare Desmoulin's whorl snail on the reserve meant that the Newbury bypass was almost stopped, but the high court ruled in the developers' favour. The decision to continue with the construction of the road meant that the nature reserve was cut in size, losing half its area.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.4202, -1.3511
- District
- West Berkshire
- Parish
- Speen
- Postcode
- RG20 8AQ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Newbury
- Nearest railway station
- Newbury — 3.2 km
- Opening
- Open at all times
- Official site
- www.bbowt.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q30622241 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Rack Marsh (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Rack Marsh
Forests & woodlands · 0.0 km
Watermill Theatre
Theatres · 0.2 km
Watermill Theatre
Open-air theatres · 0.2 km
Bangor Manor
Manor houses · 0.3 km
The Woodspeen
Restaurants · 0.5 km
Donnington Castle
Castles · 0.9 km
Speen
Villages · 1.0 km
Bridge Over Lake Approximately 400 Metres To South East Of Donnington Grove
Historic bridges · 1.1 km
Speen War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 1.1 km
Bagnor
Towns & cities · 1.1 km
The Hare & Hounds
Hotels · 1.2 km
SPINIS Roman Settlement
Archaeological sites · 1.2 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Rack Marsh?
- Rack Marsh is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode RG20 8AQ), in the parish of Speen.
- What is Rack Marsh?
- Rack Marsh — Nature Reserve in Berkshire, England.
- How do I get to Rack Marsh?
- The nearest railway station is Newbury, about 3.2 km away. Drivers can use postcode RG20 8AQ.
- Is Rack Marsh a protected site?
- Yes — Rack Marsh is part of the River Lambourn SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the River Kennet SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Rack Marsh free to visit?
- Yes, Rack Marsh is free to enter.
- How do I get to Rack Marsh?
- The nearest railway station is Newbury, about 3.2 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode RG20 8AQ.
- Are dogs allowed at Rack Marsh?
- Most wildlife reserves allow dogs on lead only, with restrictions during ground-nesting bird season (March-July). Check signage at the reserve.