One of the South Oxhey’s Local Nature Reserves with some of the most beautiful wildflowers in the district.

Up until the 1940s, flower-rich hay meadows and pastures were a common sight. Since then more than 97% of these habitats have been lost. Prestwick Road Meadows is one of the few meadows that survived untouched.

It is a small place, taking just half an hour to walk around but there is plenty to see. The site is a remnant of old farm meadows. The ancient hedgerows that separated the fields can still be seen.

There is a seasonal pond that attracts frogs and herons in the spring. Summer is the best time to see the meadows in flower. The purple knapweed, yellow birdsfoot-trefoil and red clover create a tall colourful patchwork, with lots of insects. In autumn its hedgerows provide food for a wide variety of birds.

The meadows are cut just once a year at the end of summer. Grass pathways are cut more regulatory to allow people to walk easily throughout the meadows. Some of the plants and animals you might see include: frogs, dragonflies, pond beetle, pear tree, sloes, haws, starling, sneezewort, black knapweed, birdsfoot trefoil, spangle gall and oak apple.

To get to Prestwick Road Meadows Local Nature Reserve (LNR) from Carpenders Park train station turn left and follow Prestwick Road for approximately 15 minutes. The LNR is on your left past Little Oxhey Lane. For information on the regular buses contact the Traveline on 0870 6082608. You can download Prestwick Road Meadows location map or find information on other Three Rivers’ Local Nature Reserves from the Three Rivers main website.