Portholme facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Cambridgeshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 106.0 hectares |
| Notification | 1984 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Portholme is a very special natural area located between the towns of Huntingdon and Godmanchester in Cambridgeshire, England. It covers a huge area of about 106 hectares, which is like 260 football fields! This site is officially known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because it's incredibly important for its wildlife and natural features.
Portholme is also recognized as a Nature Conservation Review site and a Special Area of Conservation. These titles mean it's one of the best places in the UK and even Europe for certain types of habitats and species.
Contents
What Makes Portholme Special?
Portholme is a unique type of land called an alluvial flood meadow. This means it's a flat, grassy area next to a river that often gets flooded. The floods usually happen in winter and early spring. This natural flooding helps the soil stay rich and supports special plants.
For hundreds of years, people have managed this meadow in a traditional way. It's known as a Lammas meadow. This means the grass is cut for hay in the summer. After the hay is gathered, local animals are allowed to graze on the land. This old way of farming helps many special plants and animals to live there.
Amazing Wildlife at Portholme
Because Portholme is a flood meadow, it has lots of small streams and water channels. These waterways are home to some really unusual creatures.
One special insect found here is the scarce chaser dragonfly (its scientific name is Libellula fulva). This beautiful dragonfly is quite rare in the UK. Portholme is a very important spot for it to live and reproduce. The unique environment of the meadow helps these dragonflies thrive.
Visiting Portholme
You can explore Portholme using the public footpaths and roads that run through and around it. One common way to access the meadow is from Mill Common. It's a great place to enjoy nature and see the special wildlife.
A Bit of History
Portholme wasn't always just a peaceful meadow. During World War I, between April and October 1918, a part of the meadow was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was a training base called No. 211 Training Depot Station (TDS). Here, pilots learned to fly and practice their skills. By October 1918, the aircraft were moved to another RAF base called RAF Scopwick.
