Dropshort Marsh

Dropshort marsh

Dropshort marsh - John Pitts

Dropshort Marsh

A remaining fragment of the traditional wet meadows that were once common around Toddington

Location

1/4 mile south of town on the A5120
Toddington
Bedfordshire

OS Map Reference

TL 007 276
A static map of Dropshort Marsh

Know before you go

Size
2 hectares
z

Entry fee

No
P

Parking information

Park in Toddington village, then walk south along road, or park carefully on road verge opposite reserve entrance.

Grazing animals

Yes

Walking trails

Boardwalk on public footpath can be muddy

Access

Yes

Dogs

On a lead

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

March to May, June to August

About the reserve

Not long ago, Toddington had many such wet meadows but today most of them have been drained, ploughed and converted to arable production. Dropshort Marsh is a living example of the traditional landscape that has now disappeared elsewhere.

Spring colour is provided by the yellows and pinks of marsh-marigold and ragged-robin, showing through the lush greens of rushes, sedges and grass. In summer, the flowers of marsh thistle attract meadow brown and marbled white butterflies, and goldfinches feed on the seeds later in the year.

Large pollarded willows line the course of a spring that flows through the reserve. A second spring feeds the marsh, towards the south-western end of this L-shaped meadow. Mature hedgerows of hazel, hawthorn and blackthorn provide autumn nuts and berries for foraging birds and small mammals.

We maintain a balance of scrub and grassland, removing scrub and grazing the site with cattle during spring and summer, before it becomes too wet.

Additional information

  • Scroll down to see the reserve boundary. Please note the boundary map is for indication purposes only and does not show the Wildlife Trusts definitive land boundary. 

FOR ANY MEDIA ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM:   communicationsteam@wildlifebcn.org or 01954 713500 and ask for comms team.

Contact us

Contact number: 01234 364213

Environmental designation

Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Location map

Betony at Upwood Meadows June  - c. Robert Enderby

Betony at Upwood Meadows June  - c. Robert Enderby

Support our work

Did you enjoy your visit? From donating to volunteering, there are many different ways you can help us restore and protect local wildlife. We can't do this without you!

How you can help

Become a member

Help fight the rapid decline in wildlife across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire and enjoy some fabulous benefits. From only £3.50/month

Join us today