Aylesbury Gardenway - Nature and Heritage Walk Section 1, North: River Thame corridor between A41 Bicester Road and A413 Buckingham Road 2.8 km / 35 minute walk

Section 1 Section 2

Section 8

Section 3 Section 7

Section 4

A413 Section 6 Section 5

Buckingham A413

Buckingham

Quarrendon Leas 1 River Thame and floodplain at 2 View towards Quarrendon Leas 3 Wooded river corridor at Road A413 Quarrendon Leas Berryfields Meadowcroft BUCKINGHAM PARK Road Buckingham BUCKINGHAM PARK

Road BERRYFIELDS Quarrendon Leas

BERRYFIELDS BUCKINGHAM PARK River Thame A41 Bicester River Thame Aylesbury A41 Football Club Bicester Road Aylesbury BERRYFIELDS Football Club Road Meadowcroft River Thame KEY Open Space Meadowcroft Walking RouteRiver Thame Open Space Road Alternative Walking Route Jackson Tiverton Cresent River Thame Public Right of Way Road Tiverton Cresent Aylesbury Jackson Road Meadowcroft Hazard, take care Football Club

Road Meadowcroft Heritage feature 3 Jackson Long distance view Meadowcroft River Thame Jackson Notable water feature 1 Belgrave Road Open Space Signature trees 2 Belgrave Road Road Flora Jackson Tiverton Cresent Section 2 Biodiverse habitat A41 Invertebrates Road Meadowcroft Bicester Mammals Section 8 Wetland birds Jackson Road Arable / grassland birds Raptors Belgrave Road Water Tree Cover Amenity Space Play Space Sports Facilities Agricultural Land / Grassland Scheduled Ancient Monument 0 100 200 500 M

0 100100 200 500500M M Aylesbury Gardenway - Nature and Heritage Walk Section 1, North: River Thame corridor between A41 Bicester Road and A413 Buckingham Road 2.8 km / 35 minute walk (read with map)

General Description Habitat and Wildlife features Heritage features

In good weather, this section of the route largely follows the Round The aquatic environment of the River Thame with its vegetated river To higher ground north of the river, the large Scheduled Ancient Aylesbury Walk footpath along the south bank of the River Thame banks are a key habitat, and the floodplain includes wet woodland Monument (SAM) at Quarrendon Leas is a nationally important which flows north-east to south-west through a shallow valley fed and scrub with native willow and black poplar trees, floodplain archaeological site with deserted medieval settlements, historic by streams from the north, and Bear Brook from the south. Seasonal grassland, and nearby hedgerows and tree fringes connected with ancient fields and meadows, a ruined church, and the site of a flooding restricts access, making ground conditions very wet and housing areas. Did you know the River Thame is a tributary of the Tudor moated mansion and gardens built by Sir Henry Lee, Queen’s slippy so please see the other route marked on the accompanying River Thames? Champion to Elizabeth I and founder of Aylesbury Grammar School. Section 1 map if needed. Wellies or waterproof boots are a good idea, It’s worth making your walk a little longer to climb the hill and look at but even with partial access, it is still a great place for a nature fix! The secretive otter, kingfishers, heron, barn owl, white-clawed crayfish this historic landscape. and even grass snakes all call this place home. In spring and summer A network of paths on both sides of the river connects the floodplain the bankside vegetation becomes abundant with many distinctive There is also a Registered Battlefield Site where, during the Civil War with adjacent neighbourhoods at Berryfields, Quarrendon, plants including Arrow Head which is particularly common around in 1642 the famous Battle of Aylesbury took place at Holman's Bridge Meadowcroft and Buckingham Park putting the Thame Valley literally Aylesbury. See the accompanying Aquatic habitat sheet for more (where the modern A413 Buckingham Road crosses the River Thame. on people's doorsteps! There are sport and recreation facilities to the information and look out for interpretation panels provided by the Parliamentarians led by Sir William Balfore defeated Royalist forces south - but when the river bursts its banks they can end up being River Thame Conservation Trust. led by Prince Rupert. At the time, Aylesbury was strongly against waterlogged or underwater. Charles I. Wetland habitats are sensitive to pollution including nitrates from At Meadowcroft, an elevated plateau makes for drier play facilities fertiliser used in farming and water running off our roads which can County Hall, a Grade II listed high rise tower block in Walton Street, and sports pitches and there is a dog entry zone sign-posted adjacent be contaminated with petrol, oils etc. Other sources of pollution Aylesbury is clearly visible to the south. It was designed by architect to the river. A timber bridge across the river links Buckingham Park affecting waterways can include sewage or even chemical escapes. Fred Pooley in the Brutalist style and completed in 1966 - love it or with the river valley. Good preventative and land management practices are so important hate it, the building is a key landmark in the town, and provides a in ensuring the health of our waterways and wetland habitats. sense of orientation from further afield.