Iron Latch
11ac/4ha
Grid ref: TL 951 261
Updated 31/12/2023.
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A flower-rich meadow, plus four acres of woodland, long-established and possibly ancient. It is quite wet in parts with a good selection of trees, especially ash.
Wild strawberry and birdsfoot trefoil flower in the meadow, along with green-winged orchids and common spotted orchids. Common blue and other butterflies appear in summer, when glow-worms also put on a good show. Purple hairstreaks can be seen around the hedgerow oaks.
Nightingales sometimes nest here or in the neighbouring woodland.
Visiting
Three miles west of Colchester town centre at Eight Ash Green. It is reached by way of the unmade Iron Latch Lane which runs north from the old Halstead road at TL 955 254. Park at the south end of the service road to houses numbered 96 to 132 Halstead Road. Walk up Iron Latch Lane (no access for vehicles), cross over the railway bridge and continue with woodland on your left. The reserve lies to the right of the footpath at the end of the field on your right.
Buses from Colchester to Fordham and Wakes Colne run along Halstead Road.
Accessible at all times
May for grassland flowers, June/July for glow-worms, and late summer for butterflies.
Please keep dogs on a lead near livestock.
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