Framlingham Mere nature trail

Framlingham Mere is a 12.4ha County Wildlife Site wetland nature reserve and a scheduled ancient monument. With Framlingham Castle providing the backdrop. The Mere is one of Suffolk’s most recognisable sites, and being so close to the town centre, and opposite the local primary school, it is greatly enjoyed by the local community. The open water and grazing marsh are an attractive landscape with The Mere attracting good numbers of wildfowl and many species of dragonfly and damselfly, with colourful wildflowers like yellow flag and southern marsh orchid in the meadows.

Being a wetland and also grazed by cattle, the nature trail that loops around the reserve is often so muddy that it is impossible to walk and the gates and bridges need replacing. The project will address this with a range of access improvements to improve conditions underfoot, including raised paths, larger kissing gates, new bridges and removing internal fencing to direct cattle away from the paths.