Me, You and Magoo: nature

Sunday 22 March 2015

Discovering Steart Marsh wetland nature reserve

Steart peninsula juts into the Severn Estuary at the point where it is joined by the River Parrett

I was born and raised in Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. We visited many parts of the local area when we were growing up & yet I have never been to the section of North Somerset coastline where Steart Marshes is located. I know the coast pretty well up to Burnham-on-Sea and we travelled to the Quantocks and Exmoor on many occasions. But the section between Burnham and Watchet? I haven't much of a clue about it. I have heard my Mum talk about Steart Marsh a few times, in fact she painted an acrylic landscape of the area & it hangs above our mantlepiece.
We decided to visit Steart Marshes to satisfy our curiosity. I knew there was an important wetlands area there & Magoo loves peering through the binoculars to see if she can spot things, so off we went.
On the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust's website it says:
"The Steart peninsula juts into the Severn Estuary at the point where it is joined by the River Parrett. This position in the landscape makes it both enticing for migrating birds and puts it at the mercy of one of the biggest tidal forces in the world.
The Environment Agency spotted an opportunity to manage coastal change to protect Steart Village and create a huge new area of intertidal habitat. They presented the options to the communities in and around Steart and asked what they would like to happen. The local community came out in support of managing the change and taking the opportunity to create habitat.
The Environment Agency chose the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) to manage the site. The two organisations, in close collaboration with the residents of Steart Village and the local community, have now set about creating vast new areas of wetland nature reserve from the land."

Having never visited the area...it feels like some sort of hinterland in my mind, until today. And I have to say, I am a complete convert to this stretch of the coast. It is beautiful. In fact it seems to be a well-kept secret as we had the place virtually to ourselves. The WWT and Environment Agency have clearly invested in the area. There are brand new hides dotted around the wetlands, lots of information on birds you may see, a pristine toilet block located in one of the car parks, wide footpaths suitable for buggies, bikes and wheelchairs and stunning views almost everywhere you look. Perhaps I shouldn't even be telling anyone about it? Well, I'll let you in on a secret, it's an amazing place to visit. Just don't tell anyone...