Celebrating National Meadows Day and open green space

A public event to celebrate National Meadows Day will be held at Langley Mead nature reserve in Shinfield on Saturday 6 July. The event will also celebrate the official opening of ‘The Ridge’, a recreational open green space located to the west of Shinfield.

National Meadows Day is an annual celebration of the beautiful wildflower meadows found throughout the UK. 

Members of the local community, and beyond, are invited to learn more about the restoration of Langley Mead, which is owned and managed by the University of Reading, to a traditional floodplain meadow.

Visitors will also get to learn more about the wide range of plants and wildlife that can be found on the nature reserve, as well as the University’s plans for The Ridge, which it also owns.

Langley Mead

Langley Mead is 18 hectares of countryside along the banks of the River Loddon, with a series of walking loops, wildlife habitats and areas of natural beauty. It is part of an ongoing project aimed at restoring agricultural land back into habitats for wildlife and plants. Langley Mead is open to the public throughout the year. 

The Ridge

Both The Ridge and Langley Mead have been planned as part of wider development in the Shinfield area.

While The Ridge is already open for the public to use, the University recently consulted with the local community and Shinfield Parish Council on an official name for the green space.

Various names were suggested, which drew on the history and geography of the site. Ultimately, the name ‘The Ridge’ was settled upon, as this is what people commonly refer to it as. It also refers to the prominent ridgeline, created using soil from the Shinfield West Development, that offers long-distance views to the north.

The Ridge is readily accessible from Shinfield and has safe pedestrian routes to other nearby areas of green open space, including Langley Mead. A small car park is also available.

Throughout the next year, the University plans to introduce new planted areas, including woodland, hedgerows, ponds and grasslands, that will create new habitats for wildlife, including owls and birds of prey. New information boards and waymarkers will encourage people to learn about the local environment.   

The Ridge comprises 15 hectares, and together with Langley Mead and the Langley Mead extension, provides almost 55 hectares of connected grasslands, woodlands and wetlands, all managed for biodiversity and public enjoyment.

Molli Cleaver, Community Engagement Manager at the University of Reading, said: “We are pleased to be able to unveil the new name, chosen by the local community and in consultation with Shinfield Parish Council, for The Ridge. Many people already use and enjoy this public green space and we hope that further improvements over the next year will make it even more attractive.

“Our annual National Meadows Day event is always a fun day and a chance to explore how our wildflower meadows, hedgerows and wetlands are creating new habitats for wildlife to flourish. We hope lots of people from the local community can join us on the day.”

Event details: Saturday 6 July, 10am-4pm

Visitors to the National Meadows Day event will have the chance to attend a series of three guided walks over the course of the day. There will also be a stall with information and self-guided walks of the open space, with wildlife spotter sheets for keen-eyed children (and adults!). 

Guided walks: 

10am – Meet our Bovine Buddies (family-friendly) 

1pm – Wild about Flora & Fauna 

3pm – Langley Mead: Past, Present and Future

No need to book ahead.

The stall and meeting point for the guided walks is by the Langley Mead car park.

Langley Mead is located south of the village of Shinfield and to the east of Spencers Wood. Information on how to get there can be found online.

Find out more about Langley Mead and The Ridge.