About the reserve

Rare fen plants have found a haven at Mapledurwell Fen and The Hatch, the last fragment of what was once Mapledurwell Common. Flora like the delicate marsh helleborine, bog pimpernel and ragged robin are some of the reasons why this patch has been described by botanists as the 'richest half acre of Hampshire’.

This fen is only accessible with a permit, but the hatch is open access. The Hatch is a wonderful example of fen restoration and Mapledurwell Fen was once described by botanists as ‘the richest half acre in Hampshire’. 

From spring to summer, a succession of fenland plants come into flower, some  of which are very rare. They include narrow-leaved marsh orchid and marsh fragrant orchid.