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Three flood storage areas designed to protect North Weald from flooding have been turned into attractive wildlife sites by Epping Forest District Council.
Church Lane flood meadow is a large bowl that can hold 35 million litres of water. The former arable fields were seeded with hay cut from two SSSI wet meadows – Hunsdon Mead and Roding Valley Meadows. Today it contains ragged robin, bugle and marsh cinquefoil, and in late summer is covered with the pale blue flowers of devilsbit scabious. Around a stream-fed pond in the middle grow purple loosestrife, lady's smock and common spotted orchids.
Visiting
Access via public footpaths running south from Vicarage Lane near where it joins Church Road. Vicarage Lane is a turning on the left off the A414 about 500m west of the roundabout where it meets the B181 at Tyler's Green.
Accessible at all times.
July to September for wild flowers and flying insects.
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