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Location: Bawdrip, SomersetOS: ST 348 390
Habitat: Grassland, meadow
Skylark Meadows first became a nature reserve after the local community reached out to Plantlife in 1999 to help them buy the site and protect it for the future. It was purchased with help from Unilever (Timotei), Somerset Wildlife Trust, Environment Agency, Sedgemoor District Council, Gerber Foods, Wyvern Environmental Trust and the Charles Hayward Trust.
Visitors to the site first see seven acres of improved grassland, formerly a silage field, which was added to the reserve in 2003. We have begun work to restore meadowland here, although it will take many years. Beyond that, the original purchase was two attractive fields. They lie barely 8m above sea level, surrounded by rhynes (drainage channels), hedges and ditches.
It is the plants that make this reserve so special. In midsummer, the meadows are alive with wild flowers, including Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus minor, Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra, Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare and Pepper Saxifrage Silaum silaus. Corky-fruited Water-dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides is a hay meadow speciality that grows here.
As with our other meadow reserves, we employ local farmers to cut hay here in mid to late July, followed by aftermath grazing in the late summer and early autumn. The reserve is closed to grazing the rest of the year.
Skylark Meadows was recognised as being an important habitat right from the start. Donald Rayner from Bawdip, who was one of the local community who fought to save the site, remembers the day he first realised how exceptional the meadows were:
“My friends had started without me, so I set off after them across what we now call Skylark Meadows. They were ahead, and I was alone in the fields. I heard skylarks where they simply shouldn’t be. I knew I’d come across something special.”
Old hedgerows of hawthorn and blackthorn surround one of the meadows, with some lovely crack willow trees that have been pollarded (cut low on the trunk to harvest regenerating branches and encourage regrowth). The traditional pollarding techniques we have used here, provide a safe haven for birds like whitethroats and linnets.
On sunny days the flowers attract clouds of butterflies. As with our other meadow reserves, we employ local farmers to cut hay here in mid to late July, followed by aftermath grazing in the late summer and early autumn. The reserve is closed to grazing the rest of the year.
The nearest train station is Bridgewater (visit National Rail for more information). There are also bus routes that pass near to the site. More information can be found here or by calling Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.
From Junction 23 of the M5 take the A39 towards Street. After around 2 miles turn right to follow the road into Bawdrip and park near the church. Please note that parking space is limited. From the church, walk south past the school on the left hand side, turn into Stone Drove which is the first turn on the left. Follow Stone Drove and then the public footpath to the reserve.
In the spring a good display of Cowslip Primula veris can be seen, whilst in the summer Vetchling and Pepper Saxifrage Silaum silaus add colour to the hay meadows.
The hay is usually cut around the middle of July, but in the first two weeks of this month you can see late flowering meadow species such as Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra and Corky-fruited Water-dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides.
You are welcome to visit the reserve at any time, but please keep to the footpath during the summer months so as to avoid disturbing the nesting Skylarks.
Stunning Cuckooflowers spotted in Skylark Meadows Nature Reserve
Beautiful colours in at Skylark Meadow
Spring wildflowers appearing at Skylark Meadows
24 Plantlife
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