Tingewick Meadows facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Buckinghamshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 11.1 hectares |
| Notification | 1984 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Tingewick Meadows is a very special natural area located south of the village of Tingewick in Buckinghamshire, England. It covers about 11.1 hectares, which is roughly the size of 27 football fields! This land is protected because it's home to many unique plants and animals. It's officially known as a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, or SSSI for short.
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Discover Tingewick Meadows
Tingewick Meadows is one of the few remaining old meadows in the northern part of Buckinghamshire. These types of meadows are becoming rare, making this site very important for nature. It helps protect many different kinds of plants and animals that need this specific habitat to survive.
What Makes This Place Unique?
The site has two main fields where horses and cattle graze. This grazing helps keep the grass healthy and allows a variety of plants to grow. You can also see areas of "ridge and furrow" here. This is a wavy pattern on the ground that shows where farmers used to plow the land a long time ago.
There are also marshy areas and ditches fed by natural springs. These wet parts are important for different types of wildlife.
Plants and Animals You Might See
The grassland at Tingewick Meadows is full of different plant species. Some of these plants are quite rare in the Vale of Aylesbury area. For example, you might spot the "quaking grass" (briza media). Its little seed heads gently shake in the breeze, which is how it got its name. Another rare plant is the "dwarf thistle" (cirsium acaule), which grows close to the ground.
The ditches are home to many different bryophytes. These are small, simple plants like mosses and liverworts. They love damp places and add to the rich plant life of the meadows. Along the edges of the fields, you'll find hedges with trees like ash, oak, and hazel. These trees provide shelter and food for birds and other animals.
How to Visit Tingewick Meadows
You can easily reach Tingewick Meadows from the road. This road goes south from Tingewick village towards other places like Barton Hartshorn and Chetwode. It's a great spot to explore nature and see some of Buckinghamshire's rare plants.
