Pavenham Osier Beds (In memory of Horace Church)

Lesser celandine

Lesser celandine - Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION

Pavenham Osier Beds (In memory of Horace Church)

An attractive reserve in a riverside setting

Location

4 miles north west of Bedord
Bedford
Bedfordshire.

OS Map Reference

SP 990 551
A static map of Pavenham Osier Beds (In memory of Horace Church)

Know before you go

Size
1 hectare
z

Entry fee

No

Grazing animals

No

Walking trails

Muddy paths; many nettles at times

Access

Not suitable for wheelchairs or puschairs

Dogs

On a lead

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

May to July

About the reserve

In summer, the attractive riverside setting draws visitors from the nearby public footpath to see meadow-rue, an uncommon flower of wet meadows, in full bloom. Encouraged by the rich fertile soil, banks of nettles grow here too, the leaves of which in turn feed the caterpillars of several butterflies seen regularly in gardens, such as small tortoiseshell, peacock and red admiral.

Osiers, a type of willow, have been grown here for many years, the constant cutting stimulates their rapid growth and provides a ready supply of material for basket weavers. We are continuing the tradition by planting more osiers, which also produce dense cover for the nests of summer visiting warblers. Hops can be seen draped over the boundary hedgerows, whilst the mature wooded section of the reserve offers a secluded retreat with large willow trees lining the riverbank, giving a perch for kingfishers to hunt their prey, swimming innocently below.  

Additional information

  • Scroll down to see the reserve boundary. Please note the boundary map is for indication purposes only and does not show the Wildlife Trusts definitive land boundary. 

FOR ANY MEDIA ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM:   communicationsteam@wildlifebcn.org or 01954 713500 and ask for comms team.

Contact us

Contact number: 01234 364213

Location map

Betony at Upwood Meadows June  - c. Robert Enderby

Betony at Upwood Meadows June  - c. Robert Enderby

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