Wildlife reserves · London
Roding Valley Meadows
In or near Lambourne.
Roding Valley Meadows — Essex Wildlife Trust Nature reserve.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 2 h–4 h
- Best time of year
- Autumn & winter (migration & wildfowl)
- Nearest railway station
- Buckhurst Hill · 1.3 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
Roding Valley Meadows is located in Epping Forest, Essex, with the nearest railway station being Buckhurst Hill, approximately 1.3 km away. Entry to the reserve is free, but wheelchair access is limited. The postcode for sat-nav is IG7 6BN.
About
Roding Valley Meadows is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom. It covers approximately 65 km². Heritage designation: Site of Special Scientific Interest. Managed by Essex Wildlife Trust. Wikidata describes it as: "Essex Wildlife Trust Nature reserve". Coordinates: 51.6284°, 0.0646°.
Photo gallery
Summary from the official site
Roding Valley Meadows is the largest remaining species-rich water meadow in Essex, featuring a diverse range of habitats including meadows, hedgerows, and ponds. Visitors can enjoy birdwatching and observe various wildlife, including butterflies and dragonflies, while walking along the reserve's paths.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Epping Forest SSSI
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Roding Valley Meadows is an 18.9-hectare (47-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Buckhurst Hill in Essex. It is part of a 65.2 hectare Local Nature Reserve with the same name, which is owned by Epping Forest District Council and Grange Farm Trust, and managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust. The meadows are bordered to the south west by the River Roding. They form one of the largest areas of grassland in Essex which are traditionally managed as hay meadows, flood meadows and marshland. They have a rich variety of plant species, including the largest beds in Essex of the rare brown sedge. The flood meadows have a number of uncommon species, including carex panicea and marsh-marigold. There are nearly ten miles of hedgerows. Management is by hay cutting and grazing by traditional breeds of cattle. The main car park is on Roding Lane.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 51.6284, 0.0646
- County
- Essex
- District
- Epping Forest
- Parish
- Chigwell
- Postcode
- IG7 6BN
- Parliamentary constituency
- Epping Forest
- Nearest railway station
- Buckhurst Hill — 1.3 km
- Opening
- Accessible at all times
- Official site
- www.essexwt.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q15272933 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Roding Valley Meadows (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Roding Valley Meadows - geograph.org.uk - 1319931.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Thrift Wood
Wildlife reserves · 0.0 km
Chigwell Hall
Historic houses · 0.9 km
Luxborough Lakes
Wild swimming spots · 1.1 km
Buckhurst Hill War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 1.2 km
Waltham Forest
Archaeological sites · 1.3 km
Linder's Field Local Nature Reserve
Forests & woodlands · 1.4 km
Linder's Field
Parks · 1.5 km
Loughton tube station
Historic houses · 1.6 km
Buckhurst Hill
Museums · 2.0 km
Lopping Hall Gallery
Galleries · 2.1 km
Loughton
Villages · 2.1 km
Chigwell Cemetery
Cemeteries · 2.1 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Roding Valley Meadows?
- Roding Valley Meadows is in Essex, London, United Kingdom (postcode IG7 6BN), in the parish of Chigwell.
- What is Roding Valley Meadows?
- Roding Valley Meadows — Essex Wildlife Trust Nature reserve.
- How do I get to Roding Valley Meadows?
- The nearest railway station is Buckhurst Hill, about 1.3 km away. Drivers can use postcode IG7 6BN.
- Who runs Roding Valley Meadows?
- Roding Valley Meadows is operated by Essex Wildlife Trust.
- Is Roding Valley Meadows a listed building?
- Roding Valley Meadows is officially recognised as Site of Special Scientific Interest listed.
- Is Roding Valley Meadows a protected site?
- Yes — Roding Valley Meadows is part of the Epping Forest SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Roding Valley Meadows free to visit?
- Yes, Roding Valley Meadows is free to enter.
- How do I get to Roding Valley Meadows?
- The nearest railway station is Buckhurst Hill, about 1.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode IG7 6BN.