Heyford Meadow Boardwalk

Heyford

Heyford Meadow and Simons Land lies between the ancient village Sandford Upon Thames and Kennington, nestled by the river Thames.

Heyford Meadow


OPT was bequeathed Heyford Meadow by Mr John Tait in 2006. The land has been used in part as a scrap yard for many years, and over 250 tonnes of waste was removed,  including tractors, rail wagons and six boats. With generous grants from the Pond Conservation Million Ponds Project and the Waste Recycling Group (through the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment), the site is now transformed into a nature reserve, with full public access. 
Careful management of the grassland through cutting and baling twice a year has seen the return of rarer meadow flowers such as snake’s head fritillaries, which bloom alongside the boardwalk. The fritillary, with its chequered bell-like flowers, is Oxfordshire’s County flower and is characteristic of traditionally managed flood meadows. It is nationally scarce and only a few sites in the UK are considered to hold wild populations. 
We have installed  interpretation panels, a boardwalk (allowing access over the wetter areas of the site all year round), a scrape with willow screen to view wildlife without disturbance, ponds, a viewing platform and two benches. 
Heyford Meadow is open to the public.

 

Simons Land


OPT was gifted this property in 2007 by Mr John and Mrs Georgina Simons. Previously the land had been a garden to their boat mooring on the Thames, opposite Rose Island. We removed fallen and dead trees, built a boardwalk from the top of the garden down to the river and installed an interpretation panel and seat. Beautiful views of the Thames and OPT’s river meadows at Kennington can now be enjoyed by everyone. 
Simons Land is open to the public.