An extensive area of meadows and pastures, divided by old hedges and some larger blocks of woodland, on the floodplain of the Yeading Brook. The wettest fields support some particularly interesting plants. The Yeading Brook itself follows a winding course between natural banks, and is largely accessible on foot providing opportunities for pleasant, almost rural walks throughout the valley.The London Wildlife Trust manages three Local Natures Reserves within the site; Yeading Brook Meadows, Ten Acre Wood and in the north, Gutteridge Wood.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
Yeading Brook Fields, and Field between Yeading Brook Fields & West London Shooting Grounds
Borough: Ealing, Hillingdon
Grade: Metropolitan
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 172 ha
Description
Wildlife
The Yeading has abundant bankside vegetation including clumps of yellow-iris and flowering-rush. Plants typical of old undisturbed grassland include sneezewort, great burnet and pepper-saxifrage. The wettest fields contain much tufted hair-grass, together with meadowsweet, ragged-robin and numerous sedges and rushes. In the south are a series of damp hollows supporting some really special plants; adder's-tongue fern, common spotted-orchid, grass vetchling and the star wildflower of the site, the nationally scarce narrow-leaved water-dropwort - here at its only London locality.Ten Acre Wood is younger than the ancient Gutteridge wood, although both feature oak over coppiced hazel, with hawthorn and other shrubs. Gutteridge is at its best in spring, when its display of bluebells is a delight for the senses. Later in the year, broad-leaved helleborine is in flower.Insects include an abundance of Roesel's bush-crickets, with various dragonflies, shield-bugs and common grassland butterflies.Breeding birds include grey partridge, skylark, reed and sedge warblers, linnet and reed bunting, while snipe overwinter. Old field ponds support various reptiles and amphibians, including common frog, great crested newt and grass snake.Facilities
Information (on signs); horse riding; playground; waymarked walking route. The Yeading Valley Walk (part of the Hillingdon Trail) passes through the site.
Footbridge over the Yeading Brook © London Wildlife Trust
Route-marking at Yeading Brook Meadows © London Wildlife Trust
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