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If you've every wondered what life is like in a meadow, what flowers and grasses grow there, what creatures hide in the grasses, bushes and trees and how meadows are managed, then come along to Hawley Meadows on Friday 1st June when Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership are hosting a special family discovery day ‘Meet the Wildlife’ between 10am and 4pm.
There will be plenty of opportunity to go on a bug hunt, join a guided walk, meet the cattle grazing the meadow, see the amazing creatures from the river and learn how the site is managed. There will be various activities to keep the children amused, whilst adults can take the opportunity to talk to some of the people who look after the site. Everyone should take time to walk alongside the river to see if they can see the Grey Herons, or spot the Moorhens that hide amongst the reeds, or catch a flash of blue as a Kingfisher flies past.
 Hawley Meadows is located in the heart of the Blackwater Valley and is probably one of the few places where you can get an impression of what the area may once have looked like. Go back 150 - 200 years and the area was a wide expanse of open grassland used by local people to graze livestock. When the railways came in the 1800s the area started to develop, although Hawley Meadows remained part of a farm until the Blackwater Valley Road A331 was built in the 1980s.
What many people do not realise is that Hawley Meadows plays a vital role as a flood defence for the surroundings towns of Blackwater, Camberley and Farnborough. During very rainy periods the river rises, eventually ‘breaking its banks' and the surrounding fields act as a reservoir for the flood water. Hard to imagine in the heat of a dry mid-summer when the meadows are alive with butterflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, crickets, in fact all kinds of insects that live amongst the wildflowers and grasses.
If you want to discover more about this lovely Blackwater Valley site note the date: Friday 1st June, bring a picnic and make the most of the day, drinks will be available. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and only dogs on leads are allowed. Facilities are basic and please wear suitable clothing and footwear. The main site car park is found along the west side of the A331 between the M3 and A30. For more details ring 01252 331353.
More about Hawley Meadows >>>
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For further information contact: Christine Reeves, Visitor Promotions Officer on 01252 331353. Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, Ash Lock Cottage, Government Road, Aldershot GU11 2PS.
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