Address
Purewell Meadows
Christchurch
BH23 3AB
Facilities
- parking
There’s on-road parking in Burton Road or Scotts Hill Lane, limited to 2 hours.
Activities
There’s a pleasant meadow walk on the public open space of the reserve.
Useful information
Purewell Meadows is a 14ha nature reserve comprising 4ha of public space and a 10ha Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) with no public access.
Within the SSSI is a complex system of fields and ditches, which presents a range of plant habitats, including wet acidic grassland over peat and more neutral damp grassland. Both are integral components of the meadows of the Avon Valley.
Wet meadows, such as Purewell, are fast disappearing in lowland Britain. The meadows are dominated by grasses and sedges but also contain several flowering plants, including ragged robin, green-winged orchid and devil's-bit scabious.
Look out for kestrels, marbled white butterfly, devil's bit Scabious, marsh marigold, heath spotted orchid, Mother Shipton moth and palmate newts.
Habitat
Wet acidic grassland over peat, damp grassland and public green space.
Site designations
Site of Special Scientific Interest (not open to the public).
Local Nature Reserve.
Accessibility
Generally flat ground with gravel paths, although the site is low lying and can get very wet after rain.
Dogs
Dogs are allowed but must be under close control.
Make sure you follow the rules in our nature reserves.