Mabey's Meadow credit Roger Taylor
Frays Island and Mabey's Meadow
Location
Know before you go
Parking information
Parking available in surrounding streets.Access
Enter the reserve by the footpath on Thorney Mill Road and the footbridge near Wren Drive.
There are footpaths leading to and from the footbridge but they can often be uneven.
Dogs
When to visit
Opening times
Open at all timesBest time to visit
April to JulyAbout the reserve
The willow woodland of Frays Island provides a perfect spot to see the beautiful River Colne and perhaps catch a glimpse of a kingfisher. Alive with insect life, flower-filled Mabey's Meadow is astonishingly colourful in the summer, and orchids thrive in an adjoining area outside the reserve. A footbridge from Mabey's Meadow provides the only access on to Frays Island.
History of Frays Island and Mabey's Meadow
Frays River is a semi-canalised waterway diverted from the River Colne to feed watermills around Uxbridge. The name originates from John Fray who owned Cowley Hall beside the river in the 15th century. Mabey's Meadow is named after London Wildlife Trust's first president Richard Mabey because it was one of his favourite haunts, described in his 1974 book The Unofficial Countryside. The Trust began managing the sites in 1995.
Status of Frays Island and Mabey's Meadow
Part of a Site of Metropolitan Importance, Metropolitan Green Belt
Get involved at Frays Island and Mabey's Meadows
Volunteer with Frays Island and Mabey's Meadow's team
Record species you've spotted at Frays Island and Mabey's Meadow