Prestwick Road Meadows
A local nature reserve in Oxhey
Route
Prestwick Road Meadows has some of the most beautiful wildflowers in the district. Up until the 1940s, flower rich hay meadows and pastures were a common sight. Since then more than 97% of these habitats have been lost. Prestwick Road Meadows is one of the few meadows that has survived untouched.
It is a small place, taking just half an hour to walk around but there is plenty to see. The site is a remnant of old farm meadows. The ancient hedgerows that separated the fields can still be seen.
There is a seasonal pond that attracts frogs and herons in the spring. Summer is the best time to see the meadows in flower. The purple knapweed, yellow birdsfoot-trefoil and red clover create a tall colourful patchwork, with lots of insects. In autumn its hedgerows provide food for a wide variety of birds.
How do we keep it special?
The meadows are cut just once a year at the end of summer. Grass pathways are cut more regularly to allow people to walk through the meadows easily.
How to get there
By train:
From Carpenders Park turn left and follow Prestwick Road for approximately 15 minutes. The Nature Reserve is on your left past Little Oxhey Lane.
By bus:
There are regular buses along Prestwick Road.
Rights of Way symbols you might see
|
Yellow arrows indicate footpaths for pedestrian use only |
| Blue arrows indicate bridleways for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrian use only |
| Red arrows indicate Byways Open to All Traffic (BOAT) for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians and may be legally used by other wheeled vehicles |
| Black arrows indicate Roads Used as Public Paths (RUPP) for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians and may be legally used by other wheeled vehicles |
Maps
This map is based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Hertfordshire County Council 100019606 2004.
The Ordnance Survey mapping included within this web-site is provided by Hertfordshire County Council under licence from the Ordnance Survey in order to fulfill its public function to provide information relating to its activities, services and plans. Persons viewing this mapping should contact Ordnance Survey copyright for advice where they wish to license Ordnance survey mapping for their own use.
See the Ordnance Survey site for more information.
This is is one of a series of walks through the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) supported by the Chilterns Conference.
Please be considerate in the countryside - keep to footpaths, especially through crops, and leave farm gates as you find them.
