Wildlife reserves · South East England
Thatcham Reed Beds
In or near Donnington.
Thatcham Reed Beds — Nature reserve in the United Kingdom county of 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
- Thatcham · 2.1 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
Thatcham Reed Beds is located in West Berkshire, postcode RG19 3FU, and is accessible via Thatcham railway station, which is 2.1 km away. Entry to the reserve is free, but wheelchair accessibility is limited.
About
Thatcham Reed Beds is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom. It covers approximately 67 km². Heritage designation: Site of Special Scientific Interest. Managed by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. Wikidata describes it as: "Nature reserve in the United Kingdom county of Berkshire". Coordinates: 51.3953°, -1.2727°.
Photo gallery
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Kennet SSSI
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Thatcham Reed Beds SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Wessex Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
Thatcham Reed Beds is a 67.4-hectare (167-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Newbury in Berkshire. It is part of the Kennet & Lambourn Floodplain Special Area of Conservation and an area of 14 hectares (35 acres) is a Local Nature Reserve. An area of 35 hectares (86 acres) is managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. Thatcham Reed Beds is important nationally for its extensive reed bed, species-rich alder woodland and fen habitats. The latter supports Desmoulin's whorl snail (Vertigo moulinsiana), which is of national and European importance. A large assemblage of breeding birds including nationally rare species such as Cetti's warbler (Cettia cetti) is also associated with the reedbed, fen and open water habitats found at Thatcham Reed Beds. Thatcham's network of gravel pits, reedbed, woodland, hedges, and grassland is rich in wildlife and has been made into The Nature Discovery Centre by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 51.3953, -1.2727
- District
- West Berkshire
- Parish
- Thatcham
- Postcode
- RG19 3FU
- Parliamentary constituency
- Newbury
- Nearest railway station
- Thatcham — 2.1 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q3952047 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Thatcham Reed Beds (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Thatcham Reedbeds Nature Reserve - geograph.org.uk - 9490.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Thatcham Reedbed Nature Reserve
Forests & woodlands · 0.2 km
Widmead Lock
Canal locks · 0.2 km
Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre
Science centres · 0.5 km
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Village Pound
Memorials & monuments · 1.0 km
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Bowdown Woods
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Cherry Bird Country Park
Caravan parks · 1.1 km
Harry Lester
Memorials & monuments · 1.2 km
St Mary's Church, Thatcham
Historic churches · 1.2 km
Old Bomb Stores
Historic houses · 1.2 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Thatcham Reed Beds?
- Thatcham Reed Beds is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode RG19 3FU), in the parish of Thatcham.
- What is Thatcham Reed Beds?
- Thatcham Reed Beds — Nature reserve in the United Kingdom county of Berkshire.
- How do I get to Thatcham Reed Beds?
- The nearest railway station is Thatcham, about 2.1 km away. Drivers can use postcode RG19 3FU.
- Who runs Thatcham Reed Beds?
- Thatcham Reed Beds is operated by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.
- Is Thatcham Reed Beds a listed building?
- Thatcham Reed Beds is officially recognised as Site of Special Scientific Interest listed.
- Is Thatcham Reed Beds a protected site?
- Yes — Thatcham Reed Beds is part of the River Kennet SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Thatcham Reed Beds SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
- Is Thatcham Reed Beds free to visit?
- Yes, Thatcham Reed Beds is free to enter.
- How do I get to Thatcham Reed Beds?
- The nearest railway station is Thatcham, about 2.1 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode RG19 3FU.