New path and viewing facilities at Fishlake Meadows

We unveil our newest improvements at Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve

This week we formally opened a new permissive path and other viewing facilities at Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve.

Since taking on management of the site, staff and volunteers have been working hard on a huge range of habitat improvements works, as well as new access and viewing facilities, including:

A new, surfaced permissive path into the centre of the reserve (no dogs permitted along this route)
New viewing screens in the middle of the reserve to see the birds and other wildlife on the water
Two new viewing platforms along the canal path on the east of the reserve with views across the wetland
A new surface on the path running west-east across the reserve to help improve accessibility

The improvements were visited by a group of local councillors and partners, including Test Valley Borough Council, Romsey Parish Council and Caroline Nokes MP.

Osprey at Fishlake Meadows © Richard Jacobs

Boardwalk to the new viewing screens at Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve

Visitors enjoying the newly-surfaced west-east path at Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve

Visitors observing an osprey from the new platforms at Fishlake Meadows Nature Reserve

Group at the entrance to Fishlake Meadows nature reserve

Councillors and Romsey MP hearing about the improvements at Fishlake Meadows nature reserve

Jo Armson, Reserves Officer at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust said: “With the help of our volunteers we’ve been hard at work since taking on the management of Fishlake Meadows nature reserve, and we’re really pleased with the progress.

"Visitors will now be able to enjoy new viewing platforms with vistas across the site, surfaced paths, and a new pathway down to viewing screens to watch the wildlife in the heart of the nature reserve. Our thanks go to all the volunteers, Test Valley Borough Council, Romsey Parish Council and everyone else in the local community who’ve helped us get this far.”