An atmospheric hammer pond and holding pond, the open water of Burton
Mill Pond makes up part of the larger Burton Mill and Chingford Ponds
Local Nature Reserve (LNR). The Mill Pond has a variety of dragonflies,
beetles, and other rare invertebrates. Bird highlights include
bitterns, warblers, and wildfowl.
Burton Mill Pond is also part of Burton Park Site of Special
Scientific Interest (SSSI) designated nationally important for its
wetland habitats, rare plants, birdlife, and invertebrate populations.
Chingford Pond is designated a Site of Nature Conservation Importance
(SNCI).
The serene open water is dotted with yellow water lilies and fringed
with reedbeds used by wintering bitterns and nesting Reed Warblers. This
is one of the places in Sussex where Cowbane, a rare member of the
carrot plant family, is found. The pond is also bordered by carr
woodland, where alder and willow trees thrive on the wet ground.
Woodcock breed here and other birds attracted to the open water and
surrounding habitats include Gadwall, Teal, Great Crested and Little
Grebes and Kingfisher.
A circular nature trail, about 3 miles long, leads
through a fascinating range of habitats. The car park is a good starting
point. The trail is on level ground, along surfaced and unsurfaced
footpaths, minor roads and a boardwalk over the wettest areas.
The Serpent Trail can also be accessed from Burton Mill Pond via public rights of way. DIRECTIONS ARE ON THE WEBSITE.
Please remember to admire these wetland habitats from the footpaths,
to avoid damaging the delicate plant community on this soft damp ground
which is so vulnerable to trampling.
An easy access trail suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs, about
400m long, follows part of the waterside nature trail. There are some
moderate slopes and some sections can get muddy.
The Sussex Wildlife Trust have published the leaflet below.
