Hawley Meadows
Meadows adjacent to the River Blackwater
About the site
Hawley Meadows, a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) is an important river floodplain site with a wet grassland habitat. It is one of the few sites in the valley that shows what the landscape may have been like over 100 years ago. It serves as a natural flood defence with the fields often holding water after heavy rainfall. This prevents the A331 and surrounding urban areas from flooding.
Address
Near Camberley
This traditional floodplain meadow has been the focus of extensive landscape and habitat improvement work. During the construction of the A331 much of the existing grassland flora was lost. Local conservation volunteers have worked to restore the grassland and the site is now flourishing. The presence the red heads of great burnet indicator of long established wet meadows in a flood plain. This plant is rare in Hampshire.
The Blackwater Valley Path runs through the site. It can be accessed by parking in the car park off the A331 and crossing the river via the bridge. Or you can follow the path from Frimley Business Park in the south or Blackwater Park in the north.
The River Blackwater flows through the site and the reasonable stocks of fish in the river here provide good sport. Cove Brook also joins the River Blackwater at Hawley Meadows. Hampshire County Council leases the site to Hartley Wintney Angling Society. Fishing is for members only, no day tickets available.
Hawley Meadows is managed by Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership.
Contact us
Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership (BVCP), Ash Lock Cottage, Government Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 2PS
Please note there is no parking at this site. Contact BVCP for visitor and site information.
Phone 01252 331353
Email [email protected]
Activities and facilities
Parking Grassland Lakes and rivers Bird watching Good for walking Countryside site Fishing
