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The Great Britain Guide logoThe Great Britain Guide

Forests & woodlands · South East England

Rack Marsh

In or near Bagnor.

Free admission🐾 Dog-friendly👪 Family-friendly

Rack Marsh is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.

Rack Marsh, forests & woodlands in South East England

Wikimedia Commons licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1 h–3 h
Nearest railway station
Newbury · 3.2 km
  • Free entry
  • Family-friendly
  • 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. Entry to the forest is free.

Directions on Google Maps →

About

Rack Marsh is a named forest, woodland or nature reserve in the United Kingdom. Coordinates: 51.4204°, -1.3510°. This entry is part of The Great Britain Guide, a free, ad-free, open-data tourist directory.

Photo gallery

Official information

Rack Marsh is a historic wet meadow located in the Lambourn valley, showcasing a variety of wetland wildflowers and bird species. Visitors can explore the natural beauty of the reserve, particularly during late spring and summer when the flora is most vibrant.

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
51.4204, -1.3510
Parish
Speen
Postcode
RG20 8AQ
Parliamentary constituency
Newbury
Nearest railway station
Newbury3.2 km
Opening
Open at all times
Official site
www.bbowt.org.uk

Sources

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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 is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.
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.