Introduction
Rammey Marsh is located in the London Borough of Enfield to the east of Enfield Town. It is bounded by Mollison Avenue, the M25, the Lee Navigation and Smeaton Road.
Background
Historically the northern part of Rammey Marsh was given over to gravel extraction but has since been backfilled and further modified as a result of construction of the M25 motorway. Parts of it now look like downland rather than marsh.
Rammey Marsh forms part of the Lee Valley Regional Park Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation in London.
Special Features
Some 225 plant species have been recorded with the aquatic marsh flora and down-land type flora being the most significant. Rammey Marsh is home to large colonies of Bee Orchid and Pyramidal Orchid.
A population of Water Voles exist in the Small River Lea and two species of Pipistrelle Bat occur in large willows in this area.
Site Information and Management
There is a small car park (6 spaces) off of Smeaton Road. Next to this entrance are an information board and the site’s only dog bin.
Opposite the car park is South Ordnance Road which leads to the Swan and Pike Pool, where there is another car park (12 spaces).
The main part of Rammey Marsh is divided into two by a ditch, with the lower part being flat and relatively uninteresting. This is where a Model Flying Club hire an area to use on Sundays in the summer. The upper part is undulating and has the most botanical interest, but this is scrubbing up and is also under threat from the invasive Goat’s-rue. Current site work is targeted at reducing the scrub and also trying to eliminate the many patches of Japanese Knotweed on the site.
The Enfield Lock area of the Lee Navigation is one of the best areas for angling along the river.
Current Projects
This summer we tried to construct 2 ponds at the far end of the lower marsh. This was eventually unsuccessful as the land proved to be too contaminated. The ground hasn’t been fully re-instated yet and so may be a little muddy and unsightly until this is completed. Elsewhere you may see some mysterious mounds of rubble and soil. This is part of a project to build some amphibium and reptile refuges, which will vegetate over during the coming year.
Associated with this there is a project planned for this winter (2010/11) which will re-work the central ditch to improve the habitat for Water Voles and other animals.
Accessibility
All of the paths are mown grass and so the site is of limited suitability for wheelchairs at the moment. However the Lee Navigation towpath which runs alongside the lower marsh is suitable for wheelchairs