Photo: Loughton Brook, North Loughton (Photo © Joe Clinch)
The inclusion of North Loughton Valley Park in the Summer Programme is relatively recent: this will be the third post Covid (01.06.21 our first post Covid event and 11.06.24). I can find no record of an earlier visit. Martin K spotted the potential and linked it to the numerous Grafton Street Bee Orchids and some Parks Trust earlier seeding on the exposed boulder clay and Jurassic Cornbrash of the Grafton Street road cutting. There is still therefore the opportunity to visit at other times of the year to build up a cumulative list of what we have seen there.
The Parks Trust manages the site. The Loughton Brook Valley forms a green corridor from Tattenhoe, through Furzton Lake then turning roughly northwards to flow through the Tear Drop Lakes then passing Bradwell Abbey and flowing into the Great Ouse in New Bradwell. We followed the northern section which now also includes access to the wet/dry area dam which controls the flow of the brook under New Bradwell.
Our group numbered 15 members and 1 visitor. Because of the numbers we had to spread out somewhat, other than at the Grafton Street cutting. Although primarily plant- and invertebrate-focused, we did as usual keep a note of Birds seen or heard and we were alert for any possible mammal or amphibian sighting (neither were seen on this occasion). A species checklist was made available based on species listed at a recce on 27th May 2026 plus those seen on 11th June 2024 but not at the recce.
The full species list can be found here.
North Loughton Valley Park
Our first stop was halfway down the path from the Car Park to look for wildlife in the wet overflow channel for the higher ground at Bancroft Park residential area. The habitat there included Meadowsweet, Great Willowherb, Marsh Thistle (none yet in flower) plus Wild Angelica and a Figwort species listed at the recce and to be confirmed.
The valley itself is a mix of close mown grass, grass meadows, brook side trees (mainly pollarded willows) and water dependent plants. There are also some small plantations of trees, again mainly willows. The grass meadow areas include a scattering of herbaceous flowering plants including Yarrow, Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Yellow Rattle, Ribwort Plantain, and Ox-eye Daisy. We were probably too early for the Pyramidal orchids seen in the past.
Our final detour before crossing Grafton Street was the wet/dry dam area which has become accessible to the public in recent years. The dam has a broad flat grassy top with fairly steep grassy banks on either side. Common Birds-foot Trefoil (‘Eggs and Bacon’), Hairy Tare, Silverweed, Creeping Cinquefoil, and Tufted Vetch were all listed here.
Grafton Street cutting
We crossed Grafton Street on a redway following the alignment of the old ‘Nobby line’ railway between Wolverton and Newport Pagnell. This route also gave us a glimpse of the Bradville Windmill. Then down the hard surface footpath to the redway. The cutting bank is thick with Birds-foot Trefoil in flower. More scattered are Bee orchid (but only one seen on this visit), Yarrow, Goatsbeard, Common Vetch and grasses. Fox and Cubs seen there in the past was not in evidence. Another change is that the strip of rough ground between the redway and the grid road is now regularly mown with a sad loss of biodiversity.
Our return route followed the outward one and on this occasion we did not include a brief detour to the Bancroft ‘Roman Villa’.
Thanks, and looking ahead
My thanks to Paul Lund for maintaining the invertebrate list (with some additions from Mike LeRoy) and accompanying me on the recce: Phil Sarre for the bird list and several others who contributed to the Plant and Bird List.
North Loughton Valley Park is one of several Parks Trust managed habitats which demonstrate how much can be achieved in creating and managing new habitats in the City for the benefit of wildlife. It is certainly a location that should be included every second or third year in the Summer Programme so that over time the Society can build up a cumulative list of species.
Joe Clinch, Leader
July 2026
Ends