Soham Meadow

Soham Meadow lies east of Soham in Cambridgeshire on a flat expanse of neutral grassland. The whole site covers 33.8 hectares, and a smaller 3.6-hectare field in the north-west corner is looked after by the Wildlife Trust. The land sits beside the fen, where water lingers in wetter patches and drier ridges carry different plants. A single footpath starts in Soham and leads straight onto the meadow. The meadow is recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its wildlife. Inside the meadow the ground holds a wide mix of plants. Green-winged orchids and adder’s-tongue fern grow where the soil stays damp. Cowslips and stemless thistles appear on the drier strips of turf. Snipe make their nests in the wettest pastures each spring. The variety of plants supports many kinds of insects and birds throughout the year. Visitors walk the footpath from Soham and step onto open grassland. The path crosses both wet and dry ground so different flowers appear along the way. In spring the orchids and cowslips give splashes of colour. The meadow stays quiet, letting wildlife move freely around the fen edges.