Huntingdonshire Countryside Services

Barford Road Pocket Park is situated just off the A1 turning for What’s around in summer…? St Neots: follow the A428, turning left at the first roundabout by Tesco’s. At the third roundabout turn left again, this takes you into Barford Road Summer is an excellent time to visit the park St. Neots Community College (Ernulf School)/Leisure Centre car park. as everything is busy. The conservation lake is To get to the park walk alongside the Astroturf pitches, past the full of breeding ducks, swans,and new housing and cross over the second bridge into the park via Pocket Park herons. Kingfishers can be the wooden kissing gate. seen hunting for fish and the Kingfisher reeds and grasses are bursting There is also access to the park from: the Ouse Valley Way at with buntings and Eaton Socon locks, Eynesbury Tesco and the housing development Sedge at Eynesbury Manor. warblers. warbler

To Little Paxton Butterflies, dragonflies Barford Road Pocket Park: and other insects Great emerge in springtime. 12miles from Bedford crested grebe with The migrant clouded yellow butterfly has 14miles from Huntingdon chicks been recorded on this site, it is quite rare in e s 19miles from u O this part of the country. t a St Neots e Purple Cambridge r B1048 G r loosetrife e Common

v The park is covered i 42miles from R B1041 with colourful Northampton wildflowers and plants throughout Sudbury B1428 Birdsfoot trefoil warmer months, from Meadow field poppies and birdsfoot trefoil to Leisure purple loosestrife and orange balsam. B1428 Centre & Car Park A1 St Neots Railway Line The new bat house will hopefully encourage more bats to the area. Pipistrelle and brown Barford long-eared bats have already been recorded on site, Eaton Potton d Road d a a

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e Spring and summer are also r A428 the busiest times of year G for the Rangers, we Tesco Superstore actively manage the To London Clouded yellow site to benefit wildlife Based upon Ordnance Survey Mapping. © Crown Copyright Reserved. and our visitors and much of our time is spent cutting grass and clearing scrub. pipistrelle The park is run by Rangers from Huntingdonshire District bat Council’s Countryside Services. For more information please It’s also a busy time for visitors! The warm weather contact Paxton Pits Nature Reserve on: 01480 406795 brings out picnic-ers, fishers, dog walkers and those who or email: [email protected] simply enjoy being outdoors in the fresh air. Website: www.huntsdc.gov.uk

Designed by Coral Design Management, Peterborough. Printed on environment friendly paper. Welcome to Barford Road Pocket Park 45 acres of grassland, wetland, waterways and wildflower meadows, just off the Ouse Valley Way. There is an ever-changing array of wildlife for you to see, what ever the season – we hope you enjoy your visit.

Barford Road Pocket Park The park offers some What’s around in winter…? was created in 2001 excellent spots for alongside the Eynesbury fishing. Coaching The park is still full of life and Manor housing sessions for budding worth a visit in the colder months. development. Some areas young fishermen and Wintering water fowl such as of the park, like this lake, fisherwomen are run shovelers, redshank are specifically throughout the and teal can be seen on Kestrel protected and summer. the conservation lake. Ouse Valley Way managed to conserve approx 7km to ¤ and benefit the Little Paxton Teal wildlife on site. Ernulf School Shoveler Leisure Centre & Ouse Valley Way Car Park We also have a healthy snipe approx 400 metres to Road Barford population though they can be Eaton Socon There are regular quite hard guided walks with to spot! So too are water Marina rails, which are known to visit the Ranger the park, listen out for their throughout the year call which is said to to see how R sound like a the park is iv er squealing pig! G progressing. re Snipe at It’s also a O u Other birds on site include: se very popular sparrowhawks and kestrels seen hunting place for over the park, a flock of goldfinches Redshank dog walking. ¤ returning annually to feed on teasel heads during Tesco Superstore the winter and recently stonechats have been recorded.

KEY There are not just birds around in This willow plantation River/Stream winter, you might see muntjac deer Meadow/Grassland early in the morning or at is one of only a few in Water A428 dusk and there may even the region where the Woodland rail Path be otters using the park willows are grown to as they travel up and down the river. make cricket bats.

otter Not much grows in the winter but Take a look at the you can still see Muntjac deer waterfowl Various youth projects have taken place at the watercress emerging identification panel park, such as the conversion of this derelict in the weir. pump-house into a bat hibernacula. Other and see how many of our projects include a graffiti mural on an old brick feathered visitors you bridge and pond dipping with school groups. can spot!