Chafford Gorges Nature Park

[bendog]

Today we found a little jewel in Essex. It is right in the middle of a large housing estate that is still growing at an amazing rate. It is owned by the Essex Wildlife Trust.

I have tried to stitch a panorama together to give you an idea of what it is like.



The Ordinance Survey Grid Reference is: TQ 597 795 and their website is: Essex Wildlife Trust nature reserve: Chafford Gorges

Today I saw hundreds of common blue and blue tailed damselflies and a few common blue butterflies.

[rlchew]

This EWT reserve is just along the A13 from me and I have to confess that I have never visited it.

Note to self .... visit soon.

Richard

[bendog]

We are definitely going again. We didn't have much time today as the visitors' centre closes at 5pm, but the reserve is open, for the moment, 24 hours per day.
There is lots of water and they say that there are, at least, 9 species of orchid growing there. Later this month there is an orchid hunt!

[chazzpott]

I have just spotted this thread. Chafford Gorges is a fairly new reserve, but the site has been there many years. I used to live a few hundred yards from this old chalk quarry and remember it long before the houses (Chafford Hundred) were built, and before it was a nature reserve. The amount of wildlife that was destroyed by the building of this "new town" was criminal, but that's another story. At least they kept a few bits!
I still live close to this reserve, (1 mile) and visit it occasionally. If anyone wants a bit more info I would be glad to help.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by rlchew

This EWT reserve is just along the A13 from me and I have to confess that I have never visited it.

Note to self .... visit soon.

Richard

lol I live not far away as well - Ive even met one of the EWT staff that works there - at am yet to go. Should be attending a macro photography workshop there if all goes well thou....