This week we explore Hunsdon and Eastwick Meads, two of the finest surviving wet meadows in Hertfordshire which form Hunsdon Mead Nature Reserve between the River Stort and the Stort Navigation, offering rare, unimproved grassland and rich seasonal colour.
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the meadows have been managed in the same way for hundreds of years, where orchids and wildflowers and wildlife thrive.
For over 600 years Hunsdon Mead has been managed on the ancient Lammas system under which it is grazed by cattle or sheep after a July hay cut. It is this which accounts for its abundance of wildlife.
Simply follow the tow path for about a mile along the River Stort from Roydon to reach Hunsdon Mead, crossing a lock. If you’re feeling energetic you can continue your walk to Hunsdon Lock before heading back to the car for a short drive to the village of Hunsdon for a drink or bite to eat at one of the village’s two pubs.
It’s possible to walk to Hunsdon from Roydon via a section of the Harcamlow Way which crosses the A414 via an underpass.
Hospitality
The Fox and Hounds
The Crown
