Frays Valley Local Nature Reserve (LNR)

A series of attractive lakes, ancient wet-woodland and meadows beside the Grand Union Canal. Many small paths provide secluded walks and a closeness to nature.

The Local Nature Reserve includes the London Wildlife Trust’s reserves of Fray’s Farm Meadows SSSI and Denham Lock Wood SSSI plus Harefield Place Nature Reserve  and several lakes.

Frays Farm Meadows is a wet, grazing meadow that was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1981 and is managed by the London Wildlife Trust. 

The Frays River was created to flow off the River Colne (at the weir at Denham Country Park ) to feed the mills at Uxbridge. There is a disused railway that used to run to Uxbridge from Harefield way and you can see the old railway bridge spanning over the Frays.

Conservation grazing is used to help maintain the meadows.  Cattle are put out there in the Summer.  Please follow the instructions on the signs and keep dogs under control. There are also a few overly friendly horses.

Roe deer, muntjac, Cetti’s warblers, long-tailed tits, and watervole frequent this site.  And in winter the wet meadows are home to Snipe. 

The best way to access the site is by walking from the Colne Valley Park Visitor Centre, then across the Grand Union Canal. It adjoins Denham Lock Wood and the Harefield Place Nature Reserve

For more information about Frays Farm Meadows & Denham Lock Wood download a information and factsheet here.

For more information about Harefield Place Nature reserve visit http://www.hillingdon-naturalhistorysociety.org.uk/