North Meadow, Cricklade

This is North Meadow, at Cricklade, to which I made a visit en route to Guildford. It is "an old, flower-rich hay meadow on the northern edge of Cricklade. It lies on the glacial flood plain of the River Thames and the River Churn"
There is more information about it to be had in a leaflet dowloadable here.

Why is North Meadow important?

• It has a great variety of wildflowers
• It is internationally import as one of the finest examples of a lowland hay meadow in Europe.
• Most meadows like this along the upper Thames have been destroyed by agricultural ‘improvement’ or gravel extraction.
• It is protected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
• It supports Britain’s largest population of the snake’s head fritillary, a beautiful and nationally scarce flower.

Gardeners may say "Oh yes, I have seen fritillarys in the garden Centre" or "Yes, I've got some in my garden, so what's the big deal?"

To which I reply......"Which is more thrilling? An otter in a sanctuary or zoo, or an otter in the wild? Surely, in the wild, albeit a nature reserve!".The same applies here."

Snake’s head fritillarys are the spring's star act, but other flower species thrive there too..... such as these marsh marigolds.