Page last updated at 12:17 GMT, Thursday, November 4 2010

Facilities at Hocombe Mead

Hocombe Mead, lying between Hiltingbury Road and Hocombe Road, is an 8 hectare countryside site owned and managed by Eastleigh Borough Council. The ancient woodland and meadows at Hocombe Mead are over 400 years old and support many special plants, fungi and animals, including Purple Loosestrife and 29 species of butterfly. They can even be found on maps dating back to 1588.

The Reserve is bordered on all sites by residential properties and can be accessed by pedestrians from Hiltingbury Road, Hocombe Drive and the northern end of Ashdown Road and there is no specified parking.

On the 22nd February 2008 it was declared a Local Nature Reserve - the first one for Eastleigh Borough Council. This was in recognition of the large numbers of local people who visit to enjoy its unique open space and special wildlife and for the conservation that the council

In the same year a partnership was set up with The Grasslands Trust using funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund which provided a Community Grasslands Officer for the site. The aim was to improve visitor access to the site and provide opportunities for the local community to take part in activities there. More details can be found at their site and the one set up as part of the project http://www.hocombe-mead.org/.

Countryside Officer: Dave Payne
Contact: 023 8047 5086or david.payne@eastleigh.gov.uk