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Purwell Meadows Leaflet

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Purwell Meadows Leaflet How to get there Purwell Meadows To Biggleswade A6141 HITCHIN Ickleford Letchworth A505 Hitchin Willian Road Chalk riverside meadows, a haven Grazing and management • Purwell Meadows The river is one of a small few for wildlife in the heart of Hitchin STATION Purwell Lane that have not been overly Chaucer Way managed in modern times by A1(M) deepening, straightening A505 or de-silting. Purwell Charlton A602 Meadows has been To Stevenage grazed by livestock d Wymondley r o f w (sheep or cows) for many a S n a years. Grazing has kept ri f B o Purwell Meadows is located to the east of the sy By Road: and continues to keep the urte Water Vole Co town centre of Hitchin. The meadows can be access from meadows open, the growth of the main A505 Cambridge Road and from Purwell Lane, trees and shrubs in check and allows Willian Road and Chaucer Way. wildflowers and other wetland wildlife to thrive. Periodically scrub is cleared from the meadows to control its spread. The By Public Transport: The site is ½ mile (15 minutes river will continue to be left to flow a natural course, with walk) from Hitchin Railway Station. There are bus stops at only minor bank repairs carried out as required. Additional the entrance on Purwell Lane, Willian Road and Cambridge wet hollows will be dug to benefit wetland wildlife. Road. For travel details contact Intalink Traveline on 0300 123 4050 or www.intalink.org.uk Purwell Meadows Local Nature Reserve is owned and managed by North Hertfordshire District Council. The Council seeks to balance the need for sustainable development with the protection of the environment. Contact us at: www.north-herts.gov.uk Tel: 01462 474000 The Countryside Management Service (CMS) works with r on Hemp Ag ppe rimo Co ny all communities in Hertfordshire to help them care for and enjoy m S the environment. For more information contact us at: www.hertslink.org/CMS Tel: 01992 588433 Local Nature Reserve Local Nature Reserve 9/13 Purwell Meadows HITCHIN Welcome to Purwell Meadows On the drier grassland in mid summer look out for the pink-purple flowers of Spiny Restharrow and the purple Purwell Meadows is part of a chain of important wildlife flowers of Black Knapweed, a favourite nectar areas along the Purwell Valley linked by the River Purwell. The W ILL source for the butterflies and day flying moths IAN meadows provide a “stepping stone” for the movement of R S O d A like the Small Copper or the striking black n r ) D ip fo 5 e w 0 wildlife along the valley like Water Voles and Otters. C a 5 ou n S A and red spotted Burnet Moth. rtesy of Bria ( D A O The importance of the meadows for wildlife prompted R E G Key the acquisition of site in 1983 by NHDC with financial support MILLSTREAM ID R B PUB M Unsurfaced paths (may be muddy at times) from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to protect it from potential A C development. The site is designated a Local Wildlife Site Interpretation panel Kissing gate and was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 1994. Large mobility (RADAR) kissing gate Dog bin The mosaic of dry grassland, marshy grassland, hedgerows TO WALSWORTH and scrub along the river at Purwell Meadows are home to a COMMON wide variety of plants, birds, animals and insects, making it a perfect place to explore using the network of unsurfaced, COLLEGE P N U R grassy paths which cross the site. The map will help W E L 50 metres (approx) you find your way around. Visit the riverside panel L L RIVER A N (shown on the map) which provides more detail on the PURWELL E riverside wildlife you can discover at Purwell Meadows. OLD WATERCRESS We hope you enjoy your visit. BEDS Springs rise out of the chalk bedrock at St. Ippolyts, flowing SPORTS down Ippollitts Brook, joined by other springs to form the CENTRE River Purwell. Chalk Rivers are a rare habitat globally, making the River Purwell of worldwide importance. C t ommon Bistor The clear, mineral rich water of the river keeps the low TO PURWELL lying land of Purwell Meadows damp, creating marshy NINE SPRINGS Marshy grassland provides blocks of d wet grassland and wet hollows which support a rich and ol ig Y ar A colour throughout the year with the M W distinctive variety of wildlife. Perfect for feeding Snipe, h R rs E a C yellow of Marsh Marigold early in U M A Grey Heron and Little Egret in the winter. H the spring followed by white flowers C Wet spring fed hollows support large colonies of Common of Meadow Saxifrage on the drier Frog which Grass Snakes prey on, harmless to humans, they hummocks and the pink of Common are easily identified by a yellow band at the back of the head. Bistort in abundance by the river. Find out more about Purwell © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Meadows Ordnance Survey 1000019606..
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