Wildlife reserves · South East England
Snelsmore Common
In or near Donnington.
Snelsmore Common — Nature reserve near Newbury, Berkshire.
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
- Newbury · 4.4 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
- Wheelchair accessible
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Snelsmore Common, the nearest railway station is Newbury, located 4.4 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is RG20 8AP, and entry to the reserve is free.
About
Snelsmore Common is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom. Heritage designation: Site of Special Scientific Interest. Wikidata describes it as: "Nature reserve near Newbury, Berkshire". Coordinates: 51.4361°, -1.3396°.
Photo gallery
Official information
Snelsmore Common Country Park is a nature reserve featuring diverse habitats such as heathland, wet mires, and woodlands. Visitors can explore a network of paths, enjoy birdwatching, and observe various wildlife species, including rare birds and reptiles.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Snelsmore Common SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Lambourn SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Kennet SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Wessex Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Snelsmore Common is a 104-hectare (260-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Newbury in Berkshire. It is owned by West Berkshire Council and managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. This is a country park which has diverse habitats, including dry heath, wet heath, bog, birch woods and ancient semi-natural broadleaved woodland. The bog has a 5,000 year old layer of peat which has been studied stratigraphically to show changes in ancient land use and vegetation. An area of wet alder woodland has many lichens, including a rich community which grows on trees, such as Parmelia caperarta, Pertusaria pertusa and Lecanactis abietina.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 51.4361, -1.3396
- District
- West Berkshire
- Parish
- Winterbourne
- Postcode
- RG20 8AP
- Parliamentary constituency
- Newbury
- Nearest railway station
- Newbury — 4.4 km
- Opening
- Open at all times; car park opens at 8am.
- Official site
- www.bbowt.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q7547663 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Snelsmore Common (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Snelsmore Common - geograph.org.uk - 936728.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Mary Hare School
Natural landmarks · 0.8 km
Arlington Arts Centre
Theatres · 0.8 km
Winterbourne Manor
Manor houses · 1.3 km
Winterbourne War Memorial
Memorials & monuments · 1.3 km
Bussock Court
Archaeological sites · 1.6 km
Bussock Camp
Hill forts · 1.6 km
Donnington Valley Hotel
Hotels · 1.6 km
Donnington Castle
Castles · 1.8 km
Watermill Theatre
Theatres · 1.9 km
Watermill Theatre
Open-air theatres · 1.9 km
Rack Marsh
Forests & woodlands · 1.9 km
Bangor Manor
Manor houses · 1.9 km
Nearby
📷 5Natural landmarks · South East England
Mary Hare School
Mary Hare School — a school heritage in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Theatres · South East England
Arlington Arts Centre
Arlington Arts Centre is a theatre in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Manor houses · South East England
Winterbourne Manor
Winterbourne Manor — Grade II listed building-listed manor in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South East England
Winterbourne War Memorial
Winterbourne War Memorial — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Archaeological sites · South East England
Bussock Court
Bussock Court — a archaeological in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Hill forts · South East England
Bussock Camp
Bussock Camp — hillfort in West Berkshire, England, UK.
Where to eat & stay near Snelsmore Common
Places to stay
📷 7Hotels · South East England
Donnington Valley Hotel
Donnington Valley Hotel — a hotel in england south east.
📷 5
📷 7
📷 7
📷 5Hotels · South East England
The Elephant at the Market
The Elephant at the Market — a hotel in england south east.
📷 5Places to eat & drink
📷 7Restaurants · South East England
The Woodspeen
The Woodspeen — a restaurant in england south east.
📷 7
📷 7
📷 7
📷 5Restaurants · South East England
Toby Carvery
Toby Carvery — a restaurant in england south east. Cuisine: british. Brand: Toby Carvery.
📷 5Cafés · South East England
Caffè Nero
Caffè Nero — a café in england south east. Cuisine: coffee shop. Brand: Caffè Nero.
More places in this region
📷 5
📷 5Wildlife reserves · South East England
Burham Down
Burham Down — nature reserve in Kent, England, UK.
📷 5Wildlife reserves · South East England
Combe Bottom
Combe Bottom — nature reserve in Surrey, England.
📷 5Wildlife reserves · South East England
Dryhill Nature Reserve
Dryhill Nature Reserve is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Snelsmore Common?
- Snelsmore Common is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode RG20 8AP), in the parish of Winterbourne.
- What is Snelsmore Common?
- Snelsmore Common — Nature reserve near Newbury, Berkshire.
- How do I get to Snelsmore Common?
- The nearest railway station is Newbury, about 4.4 km away. Drivers can use postcode RG20 8AP.
- Is Snelsmore Common a listed building?
- Snelsmore Common is officially recognised as Site of Special Scientific Interest listed.
- Is Snelsmore Common a protected site?
- Yes — Snelsmore Common is part of the Snelsmore Common SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the River Lambourn SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Snelsmore Common free to visit?
- Yes, Snelsmore Common is free to enter.
- How do I get to Snelsmore Common?
- The nearest railway station is Newbury, about 4.4 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode RG20 8AP.
- Are dogs allowed at Snelsmore Common?
- Most wildlife reserves allow dogs on lead only, with restrictions during ground-nesting bird season (March-July). Check signage at the reserve.