About the reserve

Restoring a wildlife haven
Chimney Meadows is the Trust's largest nature reserve and its fields are part of an ancient landscape, created by the Thames and shaped by centuries of farming. Once a commercial farm, the rich wildlife of this remote and tranquil place has been restored since the Trust started looking after it in 2003. Fields once planted with wheat and barley are now colourful, species-rich wildflower meadows. This type of habitat is important for its remarkable diversity of plant-life and as a home to nationally declining wading birds such as curlew, which breed here.

Nationally important
Part of the reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and National Nature Reserve (NNR) and is owned by Natural England. These wildflower meadows make up one of England’s largest remaining areas of unspoilt neutral grassland. They were the seed source for the meadows that have been restored elsewhere at Chimney Meadows.

Seasonal highlights

• Curlew return to nest/can be heard and seen from mid-Feb to mid-July.
• In spring and summer, grasslands are transformed by an ever-changing display of wild flowers that attract busy communities of insects. In late April and early May cowslips are in flower, whilst in June and July meadows are in full flower and plants such as yellow rattle, common knapweed, oxeye daisy, meadow buttercup, quaking grass and pepper-saxifrage can be seen.

Wonderful wetlands
Whilst Chimney Meadows lies on the Thames floodplain, it is dry for much of the year. During autumn, the River Thames starts to rise, ditches fill with water and fields can flood to varying depths, favouring different species of  wildfowl and wader. The Trust is creating and restoring valuable wetland habitats like old water courses, ponds and ‘scrapes’. Scrapes are shallow depressions that hold water and provide feeding areas for wading birds.

Hides
Along the boardwalk, a large hide overlooking an area of seasonally flooded grassland provides views of heron, mute swan, teal, little egret and stonechat. At the smaller hide, which overlooks a pond, you can see long-tailed tit, marsh tit, goldfinch, dragonflies and if you are lucky, a tree sparrow or kingfisher.

Thames Observation Platform
Located on the Thames Path, this hide has views of Duxford Old River; enjoy panoramic views along the river and the National Nature Reserve. Look out for swallows and house martins, a kingfisher or a barn owl, and listen for a water rail and summer warblers. Generously funded by The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development through Oxfordshire LEADER, and with support from the FCC Community Foundation, this carefully designed hide is the perfect place to stop and enjoy the tranquility of the Upper Thames.

A Living Landscape
Chimney Meadows lies at the heart of the Upper Thames Living Landscape. Many wetland habitats throughout the country have been lost, as land has been drained or built on and wetland species which depend on those habitats have declined. However, in the Upper Thames there are still river and floodplain habitats such as wildflower meadows and wet grassland that support species such as curlew, lapwing and snipe. 

Farmers, landowners and conservation organisations are working together to look after and restore the Upper Thames, a special place for people and wildlife. It is one of five Living Landscapes managed by the Trust.

Coronation Meadow
Chimney Meadows is one of three of BBOWT’s most charismatic wildflower meadows that have been named Coronation Meadows. King Charles III, as patron of RSWT, Rare Breeds Survival Trust and Plantlife, initiated the Coronation Meadows project. It celebrates the historic and extraordinary diversity of meadows, and encourages the creation of many more in the next 60 years using seeds and green hay from the Coronation sites. 

Chimney Meadows, Moor Copse and Upper Ray Meadows are prime examples of a Coronation Meadow because they are rich in a wealth of wild flowers. On each reserve there are meadows which have been regenerated using green hay from nearby land. Green hay spreading is a way to move large quantities of seed from one place to another using agricultural machinery, when creating or restoring a meadow. The meadows are managed carefully using traditional farming methods, sometimes with rare breed livestock for conservation grazing. Ancient hedgerows and tracks connecting each meadow to the next are just as important for wildlife as the meadows themselves. They help to create patchworks of habitats greater than their individual parts. Coronation Meadows is supported by Biffa Award.

Duxford Old River
In 2017 the Trust was able to purchase Duxford Old River, 113 acres of floodplain meadow adjacent to Chimney Meadows, which contains an ancient meander of the original River Thames. The plan is to restore the river and floodplain habitats making it a haven for wildlife. 

Wetland restoration project
This exciting project is restoring precious wetland habitats and making more space for nature. Find out more here.

Thank you to our supporters
The Heritage Lottery Fund supported the Wildlife Trust in 2003 when BBOWT had the opportunity to buy the land at Chimney Meadows and transform it into a wildlife haven. Since 2013 WREN, a Landfill Communities Fund distributor, has funded management work at Chimney Meadows through the Biodiversity Action Fund. In 2017 the generosity of many individuals, several charitable trusts and the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled the purchase of Duxford Old River.

Things to do

• Come along to one of our seasonal guided walks for all ages and interests.
• There are two bird hides for bird watching, both with wheelchair access.