Reserves

Lawrence Weston Moor

Grid ref: 544 791 / Area: 11.9 hectares

This urban oasis is sandwiched between the M5 motorway and housing estates of Lawrence Weston. An extensive network of wet meadows and reedbeds, it is extremely rich in wildlife.

How to get there
We encourage visitors to use environmentally friendly forms of transport wherever possible. Most of our reserves are easily accessible by bicycle, with many close to the National Cycle Network. Click here to view a location map of the reserve on the National Cycle Network website.

Alternatively, from Long Cross in Lawrence Weston, turn into Lawrence Weston Road next to St Bede's School. Park just before the motorway bridge and take the track alongside the allotments. Buses to Long Cross.

Access
Fields are often very wet and there are no formal paths.

Wildlife and conservation
The drier fields are hay meadows where plants such as meadowsweet and pepper saxifrage are common, and they are one of the few local places where common meadow rue can still be seen. The wetter meadows have more damp loving plants, including ragged robin, marsh marigold and creeping forget-me-not. Marsh arrowgrass is another rarity found here. Large areas of the reserve are covered with reeds and rushes. These fields are important for birds such as reed buntings and snipe. Reed and sedge warblers are also known to breed here.

The old pollarded willows which complement the wetland scene provide roosts for little owls and kestrels which can be seen hunting over the fields.

The rhynes are an important feature of the reserve and are rich in water plants. They also provide homes for frogs and many insects, such as dragonflies.

The drier fields are cut for hay in late summer, and the wetter ones grazed by cattle. The rhynes are cleared to prevent them from silting up. Many of the trees have been planted to screen off the motorway.

Further information
Lawrence Weston Moor is leased from Bristol City Council and managed in partnership with them. It is a Local Nature Reserve.

Image library

Reserves: Lawrence Weston

Reserve map	Lawrence Weston 1	Lawrence Weston 2	Flower	Honeysuckle
Willow

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