Ewyas Harold Meadows, Herefordshire

Wonderful flowery meadows in the heart of the Golden Valley.

Notable plants

Bee Orchid, Lesser Centaury and Dyer’s Greenweed

Features

Lovely meadows full of wildflowers and butterflies. They are part of the local habitat resource, supporting regionally important populations of threatened butterflies. A fine assemblage of grassland species breeds on the meadows, including Grizzled Skipper and Common Blue. The flowery sward also provides important nectar supplies for the threatened fritillaries breeding in the bracken and scrub habitats on the adjoining Common.

The meadows are maintained through cutting and grazing.

Area: 5 hectares

Map reference: SO385295

Directions

Ewyas Harold village is just off the A365 between Abergavenny and Hereford at SO387286.

Using road-side parking near the church or school, follow Church lane and Dark Lane to the footpath access points onto Ewyas Harold Common
Follow the paths and tracks up onto the Common’s open central plateau, where the grass and bracken is mown
From here, the reserve’s entrance can be seen on the west side of the common - through a steel kissing gate (yellow arrow on leaflet map) in a hedgerow
Please note that vehicles are not allowed onto the common
Google maps

Notable nearby sites

Ewyas Harold Common supports one of the best remaining populations in the region of the nationally threatened Pearl-bordered Fritillary
Garway Hill Common for Dark Green Fritillary

Site access and safety

The paths up onto the common from the village are moderately steep in places and will be slippery and muddy when wet. The tracks and open parts in the middle of Common are largely level. Most of the reserve’s meadows are easily accessible, but the site is divided by a steep stream valley.

Most ticks are little more than an irritation, but a few can transmit Lyme disease, a rare and potentially serious illness which is treatable with antibiotics if diagnosed early. It is therefore important to be informed and take some simple precautions.