Railway Land Local Nature Reserve #1: Intro & Info
This 4-cache mini-series is hidden in a lovely green oasis in the heart of the town which is a remarkable example of urban ecological restoration to form a tranquil 27-acre multi-habitat wetland haven along the flood plain of the River Ouse. All caches have been hidden with the kind permission of the Railway Land owners and management.
Southern Section Route
They can be done as part of a 3km circuit which starts at the Linklater Pavilion (a function/event centre), follows the river bank skirting the wet grazing meadows then passing under the rail bridge, exiting the reserve for a short section along Egret’s Way, before re-entering through a railway underpass. The trail continues along a tree-lined track, then across grassland past the dipping pond, skirting the Heart of Reeds and passes through wet woodland on the return to the start. It can be completed in 60-90 minutes depending on stops to look at local wildlife, admire the views and take photos.
The reserve, just off the high street and behind the train station, is easily accessible from Lewes town centre. It has a network of permissive footpaths, including a surfaced path suitable for those with mobility issues. Cycling and dog walking are permitted. You can park nearby at Friar’s Walk (N 50 52.406 E 0 0.928) on Court Road or along the adjacent Railway Lane.
The Sussex Ouse Valley Way, a 42-mile waymarked trail, passes through the reserve.
To Find the Cache
Entering the reserve at the main gate at the end of Railway Lane, make your way to N 50 52.368 E 0 1.000 where you will be standing in front of an illustrative information board on which you will learn the following:
- Looking at the central map, you will note that Newhaven is A.5 miles away along the Sussex Ouse Valley Way, which runs through the reserve along the river.
- At the bottom left is an 11-digit contact telephone number the 6th digit of which is B
- The Railway Sidings were once a hive of activity where over C,000 wagons were shunted each week in the 11 sidings
- The Heart of Reeds was opened in June 200D
- Leighside Pond was designed in 200E
- Looking at the bottom right you will note that F photographers gave permission for their photos to be used on the information board.
The cache can be found at:
N 50 52.(E-D)(C-F)D E 0 1.(A-E)(B+1)(C-D)
Until 1989, the site was primarily occupied by the extensive sidings of a busy railway marshalling yard and the embankment of the former Lewes-Uckfield railway line (aka the Wealden Line). There were also allotments and the Leighside Estate, a large Victorian townhouse and estate owned by Burwood Godlee, a prominent Quaker businessman who was involved in the development of local railways and brought gas to Lewes through his Lewes Gas Light Company. He and his widow occupied the house until the early C20 when the estate was sold to the railway company.
The estate included formal gardens and landscaped fishponds and the area still has large railway poplars and some notable exotic trees, including a Holm Oak and Swamp Cypress.
In 1988, foreseeing the closure of the sidings and in order to protect the site from development, local conservationists combined to found the Railway Land Wildlife Trust.
Their sustained efforts over the years culminated in the 1995 designation of the area as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) and Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI). Managed by Lewes District Council working with the Trust, the area of the sidings was transformed through extensive rewilding, with numerous trees and wildflowers and is by now well established and continues to thrive.
The reserve's varied ecosystems comprise 4 main water habitats recognised as being very important to wildlife:
- Wet woodland, important for mosses and lichens
- Reed bed, called the Heart of Reeds, which in summer is thronged with singing reed warblers.
- Ponds, home to newts and fish.
- Floodplain grassland - a system of ditches rich in aquatic invertebrates.
All of these are fed by the seasonal Winterbourne stream which flows through the middle of the reserve exiting under giant tidal sluice gates into the River Ouse. This chalk stream is fed by water filtered through the surrounding Downs and only flows after substantial rainfall. In winter the stream regularly overflows and fills these habitats with fresh water, keeping them in prime condition.
As well as a wildlife sanctuary, the reserve is a community hub for environmental education and well-being activities such as free guided walks enabling participants to connect with nature and improve their mental health. Younger visitors, can enjoy ‘Nature Adventures’ holiday clubs, where they can explore the woods, meadows, and ponds, engaging in activities which spark their imagination and develop a love of the natural world.
The reserve has also been at the forefront of innovative conservation initiatives. In a unique project, local dogs have been used to help in rewilding. Equipped with backpacks filled with seeds from 23 woodland plant species, they disperse seeds across the reserve, mimicking the natural seed dispersal once done by wild wolves. Early results have shown good plant germination, and the project continues to involve the community in conservation and restoration efforts.
Local volunteers are essential to the success of the reserve, participating in practical conservation tasks like habitat management, and pond and footpath maintenance.
The reserve is evidence of the power of community-led conservation efforts and the resilience of nature. From its humble and unpromising origin as a railway yard to its current status as a vibrant ecological site, it shows how urban spaces can be transformed into thriving natural habitats.
See short introductory video here and see drone footage here (2:40 to 4:40 shows the reserve)
