Ingrebourne Marshes

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This Local Nature Reserve consists of Hornchurch Country Park and parts of the adjoining Ingrebourne Marshes SSSI, plus land adjoining the Ingrebourne both upstream and downstream. A wetland on this scale – with a huge reedbed alongside marsh and flood meadow – is very unusual anywhere, and especially so close to London.

The highlight is the Ingrebourne Marshes SSSI, which can be viewed from Hornchurch Country Park and from Berwick Woods, on the other side of the river. Redshank, lapwing and yellow wagtail breed on this kind of wet tussocky grassland. Kingfishers make their nest holes in the steep banks of the river. Many sedge and reed warblers nest here, and also cetti's warblers, one of our few resident warbler species. Water rails can occasionally be seen prowling around in the tall vegetation. Our smallest duck, the teal, overwinters on the ponds and bearded tits, and occasionally bittern, in the reedbeds.

With such a variety of wet and dry habitats the area is valuable for insects too. Banded demoiselles can be seen all the way down the river and it also supports several rarities.

The London Loop long-distance footpath runs all the way down the valley to the Thames a mile or so to the south