Moor Green Lakes - Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership

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CAN YOU HELP?
OTTERS
They're back!
We need your help
CLEARING THE WAY
Path improvements at Badshot Lea
PATH USERS’ SURVEY
What we found out from our path users
FOCUS ON: Tongham Community Wood
MOOR GREEN LAKES
Habitat improvements thanks to SEEDA funding
INVESTING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
Corporate teambuilding day
GO WILD 2004
Round-up of this annual event
Ian White
i n s i d e
WINTER 2004/5
EVENTS
Our 2005 ‘Discover’ programme
Although otters have featured in the past few
newsletters we are at last celebrating positive
evidence of otters in the Blackwater Valley. In
September Chris Matcham Otters & Rivers Project
Officer at Surrey Wildlife Trust contacted us to say
that he had received news of a sighting in Frimley
and was going to investigate. Unfortunately the
sighting was from a train driver who thought he
had spotted a dead otter on the line. A closer
investigation confirmed the sighting together with
much speculation of where the otter had come
from and how it had met its untimely end.
the top of the food chain otters can only survive
in a healthy river system, so the fact that an otter
has been found in the Valley indicates the river is
‘complete’ once again.
It was in Sandhurst over 45 years ago that otters
were last recorded on the River Blackwater, so this
current positive sighting indicates that otters are
once again in the Valley, hopefully exploring various
sites with a view to taking up permanent residence.
This is particularly good news because it shows that
all the work that has been done over a long period
to return the river to a state where it now supports
an abundance of wildlife has paid off. Being at
Now that an otter has been found in the Valley,
Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership and
Surrey Wildlife Trust are putting together a project
proposal to try and secure funds to assist the
re-colonisation of the Blackwater by otters. The
project’s objectives are:
• Assist the re-establishment of otters in the River
Blackwater;
• Enthuse/educate the local community to
Otters disappeared from the South-East in the
early 70s and in recent years work has been carried
out to try and get them to recolonise their former
haunts. In the past few years they have returned
to both the Rivers Thames and Loddon and, as the
Blackwater is a tributary of the Loddon, it was only
a question of time before otters would find their
way into the Blackwater and start moving upstream.
increase their support for improvements;
• Work with riparian owner, especially angling
clubs, to benefit otters and protect fish stocks.
This would be done by:
• Surveying the Blackwater for otters to monitor
presence and population expansion.
• Conducting a River Corridor Survey of the
Blackwater so that appropriate conservation
management can be identified.
• Identify potential hazards to otter health and
survival; install mitigation wherever possible.
• Identify and carry out riparian habitat
improvements and manage the waterside
habitat.
• Contact all riparian owners and advise on
conservation measures.
• Visit local fisheries and angling clubs, carry out
surveys, suggest mitigation measures.
At the time of writing a project proposal bid has
been submitted. We will report the progress in the
next newsletter.
discover
our new leaflet
Have you seen our new-look Discover leaflet? We’ve totally revamped the design, included a
brilliant new map compiled by David Ramm (thanks David), which gives a far more accurate
representation of the Valley, and replaced the drawings with photographs.
Not only is this new leaflet very informative giving details of the various attractions to be found
within the Valley, but it is also colourful and interesting... well we think so.
Copies should be available at your local library, council offices or tourist information office.
Alternatively send us a stamped sae (DL 220 x 110 mm) and we will send you a copy by post.
Further enquiries telephone: 01252 3 31 3 5 3
CAN YOU HELP? C l e ari n g
As an organisation we rely heavily on volunteers to help us with our
conservation tasks and we always welcome new recruits. But there are other
areas where we would welcome some volunteer support…
WALK HELPERS
As part of our Blackwater Valley Path
Project we have planned a series of walks
next year of varying length. Experience has
shown us that each walk ideally should
be accompanied by a team of three: one
leading, one bringing up the rear and a
third to help out.
To try and reduce the pressure on our
hardworking staff at Blackwater Valley
Countryside Partnership we are now
looking for some walk helpers, active
people who just need to make sure that
the walkers keep to the right route. Our
programme of walks will be taking place on
different days throughout the year and will Walk helpers wanted
vary in length from a few miles upwards.
If you like walking, have some spare time and would be interested in helping
us please contact Sarah Broadhead on 01252 331353.
t h e wa y
Regular users of a footpath running along the edge
of Badshot Lea will find the going easier, thanks to
path improvements managed by the Blackwater Valley
Countryside Partnership and funded by Farnham Town
Council.
The path, situated behind houses on the northern edge
of Badshot Lea, has undergone an extensive programme
of improvements using a mixture of hard and soft
landscaping including bank repairs (see picture below),
surface restoration and vegetation clearance.
SNIPPERS WANTED
Do you regularly buy a local paper, county magazine or national magazine
that covers wildlife, countryside or walking topics? Do you receive a free local
paper? If you’ve answered yes to either of these questions you could become
a Blackwater Valley snipper. No special skills or complicated equipment are
required, just a willingness to look carefully through your local papers and
magazines every week or month as relevant, looking for any mention of the
Blackwater Valley, then cutting out the press story or article and sending it to
us for our files.
We are planning to improve our press coverage by increasing the number
of press releases issued, but it is both costly and difficult to monitor all
the papers and magazines in our catchment area. Firstly buying all the
appropriate papers and magazines is problematic as the area covers over 90
square miles – extending from Farnham in the south up to Wokingham and
Bracknell in the north, and from Fleet and Yateley in the west over to Woking
in the east. Then there’s the sheer number of papers we will need to look
through on a regular basis.
So we are looking for volunteers to become part of the press cuttings team.
If you think you’ve got what it takes to become a BV snipper – a pair of
scissors and a good eye – please contact Christine Reeves on 01252 331353,
or email blackwater.valley@hants.gov.uk.
COMMUNITY BENCH
We are currently working on an exciting project to develop a community
’picture’ bench for one of the Valley’s wildlife areas (full details in our next
issue). If all goes well we hope to work with local countryside volunteer
groups, schools and clubs to create a series of community ‘picture’ benches
throughout the Valley.
We can’t give away too much at this stage but if your group is located within
the Blackwater Valley catchment area and would be interested in developing
a unique community bench please get in touch with Christine Reeves and
register your interest. If enough organisations are willing to get involved,
BVCP will consider applying for a grant to fund the entire project.
TIMBER TRAIL
Tree cutting and thinning is one of the regular conservation tasks we have
to do throughout the Valley and there’s never a shortage of ways of using
the cut logs. We were recently asked if we could help South Farnborough
Junior School who were creating a path in their grounds. Always happy to
support schools and local community groups, we were able to supply cut
logs to border their path as well as the wood chippings needed to surface it.
“The popularity of this footpath helped cause its
gradual deterioration,” explains Sue Dent Countryside
& Access Officer at Blackwater Valley Countryside
Partnership. “Heavy usage degraded the path’s surface
making it muddy and uneven and the edge bordering
the stream had slowly eroded. In addition overhanging
trees and branches not only made the route dark and
unwelcoming, but were also preventing vegetation in
the stream from growing, leaving the banks prone to
collapse and greatly reducing the useable width of
the path. Our task was to improve the footpath using
materials that were most sympathetic to its rural edge
location.”
Now completed, the work has not only improved the
footpath for users and maintained the rural character
of the area, but has been done without damaging the
wildlife of the stream.
Further enquiries telephone: 0125 2 3 31 3 5 3
The majority of people using the Blackwater Path do so
on a regular basis, with 29% using it daily and a further
31% using it weekly. This was just one of the facts that
emerged from the survey we conducted earlier this year
as part of the Blackwater Valley Path Project.
Since we announced our plans to improve and develop
the Blackwater Valley Path in the last newsletter (Spring
2004), following a successful Heritage Lottery Fund bid,
work has been progressing apace thanks to Path Project
Officer Sarah Broadhead, who joined the team in March.
A survey of Path users was an essential part of the project
and took place in June when we enlisted the help of a
number of our volunteers. It involved a questionnaire
asking people how they were using the Path and what
they thought about it. This survey was carried out at
five different locations over a two-week period and at
different times of the day to try to include as many user
types as possible. “The volunteers' contribution to the
survey was invaluable,” thanks Sarah, “we would really
have struggled to cover such a wide range of locations
and times without their help.”
FINDINGS
The survey’s findings make interesting reading showing
that the Blackwater Valley Path is used on a regular
basic by a large number of people living both locally and
further afield. Much to our delight the Path is viewed as
a valuable picturesque nature area where people are able
to get off-road both to walk and cycle.
The path is regarded as a valuable, picturesque, nature area
At the moment there seems to be very few people from
ethnic minority groups or people with disabilities using
the Path. Suggested improvements that we may be able
to make to improve access to people with disabilities are
self-closing gate to replace stiles, having non-slip bridge
surfaces and keeping the vegetation cut back.
In total 764 people were recorded on the Path
throughout the survey and 245 questionnaires were
completed.
We plan to repeat the survey in 2006 once the Path
Project comes to an end. The findings of the two surveys
can then be compared. During the two-year project
Sarah will also be producing a ‘Heritage Walks’ booklet,
leading a programme of guided walks and improving way
marking and interpretation along the Path.
Most respondents use the path for leisure, with 55%
being walkers – this included dog walkers – and 37%
cyclists. Less than 10% use it for commuting and 6% for
wildlife watching. Not surprisingly it is predominantly
used by adults, although some children use it either with
their families or on their own. Some parts of the Path are
far more widely used than others, so there is a need to
improve sections of the Path to encourage increased use.
Users also made a number of suggestions for improving
the Path, key areas seem to be more benches, less dog
mess, more information about the area and improved
signage.
Patterns of usage has shown that the Path tends to be
used during late morning to early afternoon, particularly
on the weekends. Also people tend to access the Path
mainly on foot or by bike with about a third using a car
and very few using public transport.
If you would like further details on any aspect of the
Project or would be interested in helping with the 2006
survey please contact Sarah Broadhead.
Our survey has included 'logging' users at Jouldings Lane
PA T H U S E R S ’ S U R V E Y
Our survey results reveal some interesting facts
Further enquiries telephone: 0125 2 3 31 3 5 3
As drivers race along the Blackwater Valley Relief Road (A331)
they are little aware of Tongham Community Wood, a small
triangular area of woodland contained by the A331, the old
Guildford to Farnham railway line and a housing estate. Local
volunteers of Tongham village are working to restore this
woodland area, which once remained neglected and was used
for dumping and fly tipping for many years, to turn it into a
wildlife site and a valuable community resource for recreation
and education.
Coppicing had taken place within the woodland for many years
but stopped with the onset of war. The wood appears not to
have been managed since then. The old coppice stools are now
pulling themselves apart, which is cause for concern. The area
to the north of the woodland has remnants of an old orchard
with a scrub area further on.
Again land was compulsory purchased for the Blackwater
Valley Road scheme, with planting being undertaken either
side of the old woodland and near the old orchard in 1994
after the road was built, this was to alleviate the impact of the
road and enhance the landscape of the area.
Very little was done to the site, until Blackwater Valley
Countryside Partnership took over the management in 2000.
THE GROWTH OF TWIG
In 2002 the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership
(BVCP) surveyed the area and then approached the Forestry
Commission for a community woodland grant to improve the
woodland, this has been joint funded by Surrey County Council,
with support from Guildford Borough Council and Tongham
Parish Council.
Members of TWIG (Tongham Wood Improvement Group)
A BRIEF HISTORY
Tongham Community Wood has undergone a number of
changes and uses in the past with effects of the railway, road
building, coppicing, use as an orchard and treacle mines have
been mentioned! Investigation into the past continues but here
is what we know so far:
A small section of the woodland has been identified as seminatural secondary woodland. Originally, this was part of a larger
wooded area, now, alas, only a small compartment of woodland
still remains. This can be traced back to the early 1800s.
The lord of the manor of Tongham leased the land for many
years to a Mr Hereit.
For some strange reason the manor also lay within the old
Farnham One Hundred that was owned by the Bishop of
Winchester.
In the early 1870s the land was surveyed and the area of wood
was compulsory purchased for a railway line to go through,
making the old part of the woodland look like a slice of
birthday cake!
In July that year local action began with BVCP holding its first
community meeting to discuss the Tongham Community Wood
project. A work plan was established and in October the local
community turned out in force to volunteer, joining forces with
the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership volunteers to
make a difference to their local woodland.
This commitment has continued and in July 2004 Tongham
Wood Improvement Group (TWIG) was formed and now
contains some of the original volunteers and some new as a
result of successful Go Wild events. With guidance from Tony
Anderson of BVCP the group is managing the woodland and
working to promote the site and attract new volunteers.
To date the group have removed:
• 47 bags of litter
• 3 trailer loads of dumped rubbish
• 9 twelve cubic metre skips of waste rubbish
• 28 concrete posts.
Also adding preventative measures to stop further fly-tipping
and dumping.
New pathways have been created including a circular walk with
disabled access, which is now regularly used, and a desire path
through the wood bringing you out to the old orchard. Wildlife
habitats have improved and a butterfly glade and two dry
ponds have been formed.
Further enquiries telephone: 01252 3 31 3 5 3
THE FUTURE
Work is now underway to create a children’s play area and
wildflower meadow and TWIG have just received a grant from
the Hanson Trust of over £1,700 to restore part of the old
orchard. This will involve the planting of up to 50 fruit trees –
plum, pear, apple and cherry – with the apple varieties selected
to match the road names of the neighbouring housing estate
that was built on the site of the old orchard.
Further plans are to create a bluebell wood and set up
a website to not only promote the wood but to provide
educational resources so people can learn about the wood, its
wildlife and history.
TWIG are seeking any knowledge surrounding the history of
Tongham Wood. Have you heard of a Ms Hide who is rumoured
to have donated the wood to the community? Do you know
of the history of the old orchard? Please contact us and let us
know any relevant information about the wood.
VOLUNTEER
Volunteer help is always welcome. Anyone willing to do work
such as tree/flower planting, ground/scrub clearing, litter
picking and bird/bat box making should contact Iain Murray
on 01252 656584 or Tony Anderson 01252 331353,
e-mail: w.tony.anderson@hants.gov.uk
Tasks usually take place on the third Sunday of every month,
meeting at 10.30am at the old railway line entrance, off
Garbetts Way, Tongham. Why not come along?
All kinds of dumped rubbish has been removed from the site
A local memory
Sylvia Hopkins (nee Butler), resident and local historian
“The ‘Tongham Woods’, on the west side of the railway, were
left to grow wild until the building of The Laurels, Garbetts
Way and Heron Wood estates when the copses became a
dumping ground and a bike racing track.
As children we would peer into the copses. There were bluebells
and deer plus some wonderful mature oaks which were ripped
out to build the A331. Behind the copses were water meadows
which rarely dried out. These extended over what is now Heron
Wood and were also part of The Moors.”
We went
Everything from haymaking . . .
The launch: 17 different groups in the Valley took part in Go Wild
Hundreds of people up and down
the Blackwater Valley went wild in
September, were you one of them?
They all joined in with our second
‘Go Wild in September’ event
organised by 17 different groups
within the Valley and co-ordinated
by staff here at the Blackwater
Valley Countryside Partnership.
This year we chose the theme ‘The
Countryside In Autumn’ to encourage
more people to get out and discover
the countryside on their doorstep, and
in the process to learn more about
the work that local volunteers are
doing. A total of 24 different events
took place over the month and good
weather combined with a variety of
different attractions ensured that Go
Wild was a great success.
As well as 10 practical conservation
tasks there was also: nine themed
walks led by local experts on a variety
of subjects, including fungi, birds,
‘plants with a purpose’, invertebrates,
reptiles and bats; two wildlife open
days; a four-mile guided walk along
the Blackwater Valley Path and
Basingstoke Canal and an 18-mile
cycle ride. Almost 300 people took
part and we would like to thank all
the volunteer groups for organising
their events and making Go Wild
possible.
WILD!
The event of the month has to be the
Bat Walk at Rowhill Nature Reserve
on Sunday 5th which was attended
by a staggering 80 people! Luckily
there were two experts on hand, Roy
Champion of Rowhill Conservation
Volunteers and Paul Hope of the
Basingstoke Canal Authority, to
guide the crowds around the site
We were also impressed by the turn
out of 18 for a mid-week walk along
the Blackwater Valley Path held on
Tuesday 21st.
From haymaking and minibeast hunts
to heathland clearing and bat walks
everyone seemed to enjoy themselves
and Go Wild in September looks likely
to remain a permanent fixture on
the Blackwater Valley Countryside
Partnership’s event calendar.
If you are interested in finding out
more about conservation volunteering
please get in touch and we’ll send
you details of all the groups in the
Blackwater Valley. These groups
welcome new members and you are
invited to come along and find out
what goes on. In fact the winter
months are when the conservation
work programme is in full swing so
why not help the countryside on
your doorstep and try conservation
volunteering.
. . . to minibeast hunts and pond dipping
VOLUNTEERING
– A BRIEF GUIDE
Conservation volunteering can be
fun, but just in case you have never
volunteered before here are some
things to remember:
• It doesn’t matter how much or how
little you do, everyone works at
their own speed and for as long as
they wish;
• No experience is needed, each
group will provide the tools, advice
and training;
• Just wear comfortable outdoor
clothes, boot or wellies and bring
some waterproofs;
• There are regular breaks when tea,
coffee and biscuits are provided,
but if you are staying for the day,
do bring your lunch along;
• If you are not able to tackle the
practical work, but would still like
to get involved and contribute,
talk to a group and find out about
other opportunities.
Further enquiries telephone: 01252 3 31 3 5 3
Moor Green Lakes
will benefit from Seeda funding
Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve, one of
the most popular bird-watching sites in the
Blackwater Valley, is currently undergoing a
programme of habitat improvement, thanks to
a grant worth almost £40,000. The money will
help to accelerate work on a number of critical
projects that would otherwise have taken
several years to achieve. News of the funding,
which was secured through the South East
England Development Agency (SEEDA) from
the Aggregates Sustainability Levy Fund, came
through in September and work has already
started.
SEEDA’s Sustainable Development Manager,
Martin Bolton was delighted at securing
the funding of £38,000. “This funding will
enable a substantial amount of work to take
place. We are going to improve access to the
site to enhance the number of visitors who
want to experience nature at close hand. In
addition, habitat work will include ditch and
stream management, ecological surveys, the
construction of a removable bridge to Long
Island, as well as repairs to footpaths, gates
and fences.”
SEEDA will be working alongside the site owners
RMC South as well as the Blackwater Valley
Countryside Partnership and the Moor Green
Lakes Group who work together to manage the
site for wildlife and public benefit.
Steve Bailey, Blackwater Valley Countryside
Partnership Manager, applauded the
commitment to Moor Green Lakes by SEEDA.
“The success of this award-winning nature
reserve has attracted over 180 species of
bird. This is due to well-planned habitat
creation with good access for visitors without
disturbance to the wildlife that they have
come to see. Boosting the number of visitors
will enable the public to see how the careful
restoration of this mineral extraction site has
created three beautiful islands where wildfowl
can breed and prosper. The involvement of the
Moor Green Lakes Group – which now has over
500 members – has also been critical to this
success. SEEDA’s work on the site will help to
inspire other developments to emulate our
success.”
The planned work will improve both wildlife
habitats and access to the site for the public.
Habitat work includes the clearance of ditches
and work on the bird scrapes to provide better
Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve is a popular site for bird watchers
Ditch clearance, one part of the improvement work
feeding areas for the wildfowl and waders that
visit the site in winter. The fences around the
reserve will be repaired or replaced, this not
only keeps dogs off the reserve but also ensures
that the site can be safely grazed by cattle
each year. Grazing is an important management
tool to maintain the grassland and encourage
wildflowers. There will also be local experts
out on site looking at the numbers of small
mammals - such as shrews, voles and mice
- and insects and other invertebrates living in
the water around the edge of the lakes, such
as dragonflies and damselflies. The results of
these surveys will be used to improve future
management for these animals.
The grant has also given us an exciting
opportunity to invest in equipment that will
improve the management of the site and make
life a little easier for the dedicated band of
volunteers who carry out most of the day-today habitat work. A pontoon will be installed
to provide a movable bridge from the mainland
to three of the islands. This will allow larger
machinery to be moved on to the islands to
tackle the scrub and bramble growing on
them. It will also mean that volunteers can
move on and off the islands much more easily
without leaving a permanent bridge to tempt
trespassers onto the reserve.
The project will also make it easier for the
public visiting the reserve, 250m of path will
be improved to provide a better, drier surface.
This includes both sides of the bridge across the
River Blackwater where the path has eroded
leaving a large step on either side of the bridge.
The access from the main site car park will
be improved to encourage all users, including
pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users,
whilst limiting access by motorbikes.
INVESTING IN THE COUNTRYSIDE . . .
A group of managers from Nationwide
Building Society invested their time in the
countryside during September when they
came out on a teambuilding day at Hollybush
Hill. The group, who are more usually
concerned with interest rates, turnovers and
credit cards, discovered that when it comes
to countryside management an interest in
wildlife is highly rated, turnover means cutting
and raking grass and the only credit they’ll get
is when a job’s been well done.
Yvonne Shuter, Area Support Assistant at the
Nationwide Berks & Hants area office who
helped organise the day said: “This is the first
occasion that our area have had to arrange
a teambuilding event for staff involving
conservation work. We wanted to put
something back into the community.”
who led the day. “With a largish group like
this planning, team work, co-operation and
trust are all involved as well as the pleasure
of working out in the fresh air and learning
about wildlife.”
Working with the local community, particularly
through conservation work parties, is an
important aspect of the work carried out by
the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership.
“Office-based workers can learn a lot by
coming out for a day to do conservation
work,” commented Tim Mockridge, Ranger for
the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership
We were delighted that the company made
such an investment in the natural world on
their doorstep.
If your organisation is interested in helping
with conservation work in the Blackwater
Valley through a teambuilding day please
contact Tim Mockridge on 01252 331353.
Further enquiries telephone: 01252 3 31 3 5 3
Wed 2nd
Thurs 10th
Sun 20th
Winter Bird Walk - World Wetlands Day On World Wetlands Day this guided
walk (about 1.5 miles) led by Colin Wilson looks at the birds at Moor Green
Lakes Nature Reserve, an important wetland site within the Blackwater Valley.
Expect to see lapwing, cormorant, possibly buzzard, kestrel and kingfisher,
plus likely winter visitors including wigeon, teal, gadwall and goosander and,
if you’re lucky, the elusive Mandarin duck. Includes some walking along a
narrow lane. Wet weather clothing and footwear recommended - muddy
in places. Meet at Moor Green Lakes car park, off Lower Sandhurst Road at
9.30am. No dogs.
‘About Hedgehogs’ Hedgehogs are probably our most popular garden
mammal, common in city parks and gardens as well as the countryside across
Britain. Find out more about them at this illustrated talk given by author
Dr Nigel Reeve, an authority on these endearing creatures. At the Canal
Centre, Mytchett. Talk starts at 8pm.
Guided Walk around Ash area An interesting walk led by Sarah Broadhead
around Ash and Tongham, including part of the Blackwater Valley Path,
which was created in association with the building of the Blackwater Valley
Road. It covers about 5 miles; expect some steps, slopes and uneven ground.
Meet at Ash Recreation Ground car park, Ash Hill Road at 10am. Walk should
take around 3 hours.
JUNE
Fri 10th
Mon 20th
Sun 26th
JULY
*Mon 4th Sun 10th
Wed 20th
MARCH
Thur 10th
Sun 20th
APRIL
Sun 10th
Wed 20th
MAY
Sun 1st &
Mon 2nd
Fri 6th
*Sat 21st &
Sun 22nd
‘The Greening of the Blackwater Valley’ From gravel pits and rubbish tips to
nature reserves and wildlife havens, find out about the regeneration of the
Blackwater Valley area at this illustrated talk given by Steve Bailey, Manager
of the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership. At the Canal Centre,
Mytchett. Talk starts at 8pm.
Guided Walk around Sandhurst area Led by Sarah Broadhead, this walk
passes through woodland, over roads, via tracks and along the River
Blackwater as it takes in Shepherd Meadows, Blackwater Reach Meadows and
Wildmoor. Some slopes and uneven ground plus some wet and boggy areas,
so waterproof footwear recommended. Meet at Sandhurst Memorial Park car
park, Yorktown Road at 2pm. Walk should take about 3 hours.
Spring Afternoon Walk Join this annual walk around Rowhill Nature
Reserve led by Roy Champion. This 55 acre reserve offers a diverse range of
habitats so come along and enjoy the woodland flowers, listen to the bird
song and find out about the reserve management. Meet at Rowhill Nature
Reserve Field Centre at 2.30pm. Stout shoes or Wellingtons advisable. Light
refreshments available.
Guided Walk around Yateley area See some of the countryside of the
area bordering the River Blackwater by joining this easy walk led by Sarah
Broadhead, which passes through Shepherd Meadows and Yateley Common
and covers about 6-7miles. Wear suitable footwear. Meet at Yateley Common
car park, off the A30 at 10am. Walk should take around 3 hours.
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Blackwater Valley Path
The 23-mile Blackwater Valley footpath tracks the
route of the River Blackwater and this recently
updated, 32-page guide book aims to help readers
make the most of their visit. A valuable resource
for all users, the route of the Path is divided into
sections, each with a clear, easy-to-follow map.
Costs £2.50 inc p&p.
The Big Pink Peril Pull Himalayan Balsam: It’s big, it’s pink and it’s a danger
to the native flora of the Valley. Sign up and join ‘The Big Pink Peril Pull’ to
help us get rid of these damaging plants. Either join one of our organised
pulls or sign up your group to help. Ring for more details.
Butterfly Walk Join Peter Martin on a walk round Fleet Pond, the largest
freshwater lake in Hampshire. Look for butterflies - this time of year is the
best to see the greatest numbers of butterflies - and find out about the
management of the site. Meet at Fleet Pond Nature Reserve car park off Cove
Road via the Bramshot Bridge, grid ref: SU 825553, at 10.30am. No dogs.
AUGUST
Wed 10th
*Sat 20th
Dragonfly Walk Join Ken Crick on a walk to look for dragonflies at Bramshill
Common. Over 30 species have been recorded in the Blackwater Valley in
recent years so see how many you can find. Meet at St Neots School at 1pm.
No dogs.
Guided Walk around Swallowfield area Join Sarah Broadhead on this all-day
countryside walk passing though fields, woodlands, county lanes, wooded
tracks and alongside the River Blackwater path, covering about 9 miles.
Although relatively flat please wear suitable footwear. Meet at Swallowfield
Parish car park, The Street at 10.30am. There will be a lunchtime stop and the
walk should finish around 4pm.
SEPTEMBER
*Thur 1st Fri 30th
Tues 20th
Fri 23rd
Woodland Crafts Weekend Find out more about traditional woodland
crafts, see a display of fascinating old woodland tools and watch craftspeople
demonstrate how some of these tools are made, all at the Field Centre at
Rowhill Nature Reserve, from 10am to 4pm. Refreshments available.
Bat Walk Your chance to find out more about bats and to see the bats at
Lakeside Park, Ash with Steve Bailey from the Blackwater Valley Countryside
Partnership. Meet in the car park off Lakeside Road at 8.30pm.
Walk the Blackwater Path An invitation to join this special 23-mile walk
along the length of the Blackwater Valley Path spread over two days, from
Rowhill Nature Reserve, Aldershot to Swallowfield. Register beforehand and
we will arrange transport back to the day’s starting point. Starts at 10am
both days. Ring for more details.
Butterfly Walk Join Peter Martin on a walk through the heathland area of
Hazeley Heath and look for butterflies, which could include Silver-studded
Blues. Meet at the lay-by off the Reading Road B3016, grid ref: SU 762574,
at 10.30am. No dogs.
Guided Walk around Eversley Cross area See how old gravel extraction
sites can be restored into wildlife havens on this interesting 5-mile walk led
by Sarah Broadhead. Wear suitable footwear. Meet at Moor Green Lakes car
park, off Lower Sandhurst Road at 2pm. Walk should take around 3 hours.
Wildflower Meadow Survey Improve your wildflower identification skills
by helping survey the meadow at Lakeside Park at Ash with Claire and Mike
Gibbs. All levels and abilities welcome including complete novices. Suitable
for all the family. Meet at 10.30am. No dogs.
Go Wild! Discover Your Local Wildlife Areas A month-long programme of
special events designed to help you find out more about the wildlife areas,
nature reserves and conservation groups located within the Blackwater Valley.
Ring for more details.
Guided Walk around Frimley area Join Sarah Broadhead on this walk to see
some of the contrasting views of the Blackwater Valley in the Frimley area,
including riverside, canal, woodland, park and road. Generally easy walking,
covering about 6 miles, please wear suitable footwear. Meet at Frimley Lodge
Park car park, off Sturt Road at 10am. Walk should take around 3 hours.
Bat Walk Your chance to find out more about bats and to see the bats at
Horseshoe Lake, Sandhurst with Steve Bailey from the Blackwater Valley
Countryside Partnership. Meet in the car park off Mill Lane at 7pm.
* Please check full details with Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership.
PLEASE NOTE: Although every effort has been made to ensure the above details are correct,
due to circumstances beyond our control the programme is subject to change. You are
advised to always check the details of any specific event before attending.
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Blackwater Valley Dragonflies
This 48-page, full-colour guide book is designed
to encourage people to get out and about in the
Blackwater Valley. It will help readers identify the
30 different types of dragonfly and damselfly they
are likely to encounter by reference to the text
and photographs. Costs £3 inc p&p.
Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership
Ash Lock Cottage, Government Road, Aldershot GU11 2PS. Telephone: 01252 331353 www.blackwater-valley.org.uk
The Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership gratefully acknowledges sponsorship by: Hampshire County Council, Surrey County Council, the District, Borough and Town Councils of Blackwater & Hawley,
Bracknell Forest, Farnham, Guildford, Hart, Rushmoor, Sandhurst, Surrey Heath, Waverley, Wokingham and Yateley.
Further enquiries telephone: 01252 3 31 3 5 3
Produced by: A3DesignandPrint.co.uk 01252 737222
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