Railway Mead is an area of wildflower-rich grassland to the south of the railway line between West Ruislip and Denham. The course of the shallow and slow-flowing River Pinn runs through it and onwards to the south. There is free public access to all parts of the site. Part of the Celandine riverside walk runs along the River Pinn in this site
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
River Pinn Corridor at Swakeleys Park and Riverside Walk
Borough: Hillingdon
Grade: Borough Grade I
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 17.65 ha
Description
Wildlife
Railway Mead is bounded by mature hedgerows of mainly oak and blackthorn. Its grassland supports abundant common knapweed, lady's bedstraw and white clover, as well as autumn hawkbit, burnet saxifrage and tormentil. Green woodpeckers are regularly seen in this area. The River Pinn's banks are lined by alder, crack willow and white willow interspersed with ash, English elm, field maple and dogwood. In one section, the river flows through woodland of oak with hornbeam, wild cherry and sweet chestnut. Riverbank plants include hemlock, hairy brome and wood meadow-grass along with bramble and Himalayan balsam. In the water are fennel-leaved pondweed, water chickweed and fool's water-cress. The banks and island of the riverside pond support reed sweet-grass and soft rush with scattered purple loosestrife and hemlock water-dropwort. The pond is home to kingfisher, mallard, moorhen and coot, along with speckled wood butterflies and ruddy darter dragonflies.Facilities
Information; car parking; cycle paths; historic features; playground; walking route
View of the River Pinn © Alan Preece
Ruddy darter dragonfly © Stephen Frank
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