Farlington Marshes
**STOP PRESS** The car park at Farlington Marshes will be closed for the next few months.
There will be some parking available but it will be very limited. It is hoped that it will be possible to open out some more parking at the weekends, but this will still be limited. The work is going to take 6 months and will be a phased project. The Highways Agency will be putting up boards detailing the work schedule.
Alternative Transport to the Reserve :
Train - Hilsea station 45minute walk Bus - Route 21 stopping on Eastern Road (Farlington Sainsbury) 15 min walk Parking - Farlington Playing Fields entrance by Texaco Garage, Eastern Road (SU 675 046), 15 min walk
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Farlington Marshes is the Trust’s oldest nature reserve. It is 125 hectares (308 acres) of flower-rich grazing marsh on the northern shore of Langstone Harbour between Portsmouth and Havant. Farlington is internationally important for the bird populations that it supports, as well as being a blaze of colour in spring and summer with many flowers and butterflies. |
Click here for more on wildlife and landscape features. Click for news on the future of the site.
June update
There is plenty of wildlife on show at Farlington and in particular the birds seem to be having a good breeding season. Lapwings have had a much better year with several broods making it through and fledging with more still on nests. Wildfowl have done well with 
shelduck, gadwall and mallards all with young. Two pairs of mute swans have cygnets and can be seen on the Deeps and Stream. Bearded tits have had a good first brood with 31 juveniles seen this week. It's looking positive with a second brood likely. Sedge warbler and reed warbler are also doing well as are whitethroat and lesser whitethroat. There have also been some fantastic views of linnet with youngsters lined up on the fenclines.
A spotted flycatcher was seen in the bushes recently along with a pair of avocet on the lake adding to the variety on site. A drake teal has been on the Deeps over the last few days. Little terns can be seen feeding in the Harbour along with common and sandwich terns, the sea bird colonies on the RSPB Islands and on the Oysterbeds are proving quite a spectacle.
Elsewhere on the reserve butterflies are showing well with good numbers of common blue and small heath as well as a few small copper in recent days. Dragonfly are showing well near the water bodies with lots of 4 -spot chasers and emperors and a couple of sightings of hairy hawkers. Lots of common blue damselflies about and large red as well.
Plant wise things are a little later this year, but the Hay field is starting to get a nice bit of colour. There is a good show of early marsh orchid visible from the North East corner of the sea wall looking through the scrub and into the "slip" fields.
Recent sightings - and what you might find
The wildlife of Farlington Marshes and Langstone Harbour - in particular the birds - provide highlights through out the year. Jason Crook, the Trust's seasonal warden at the Oysterbeds, is a regular visitor to sites around the harbour and has set up a blog to record what he has seen.
Jason has birded this area for many years and has developed an understanding of many of the factors which determine when birds arrive and leave the area and what they will be doing when they are here. (Although he would be the first to admit that there is still plenty to learn!) In order to help visitors he has provided a bird watching Calendar, with an outlook of what may be seen in the coming days.
How to get there
Farlington Marshes is just south of the A27 between Portsmouth and Havant (Grid ref. SU 685 045). View a map.
Rail: Hilsea train station is 1½ miles from the reserve with trains from Fareham and Porchester every 30 minutes.
Bus: The 21 service runs from Portsmouth Harbour to Havant. The closest stop is by Farlington Sainsbury's (north of A27) which is a 15 + min walk to the reserve.
Cycle: The Portsmouth to Havant cycleway runs along the northern edge of the reserve on the south side of the A27. There are bike racks at each entrance.
Road: The western car park of Farlington Marshes can be reached from the eastern Portsmouth A27 roundabout (signed for the A2030). The track leading to Farlington is a small lane between the A27 westbound exit and the A2030 exit leading to Portsmouth. Take care on rejoining the roundabout, as the traffic is fast moving. For the eastern access to Farlington, park at the Broadmarsh Coastal Park and walk west along the coastal path. This car park is near the A27 Bedhampton exit. From the east, exit the A27 onto the A3(M). Take the first exit and follow signs for Broadmarsh Coastal Park.
Getting around
Several areas of the reserve are open access. See map for details.
The flat surfaced sea wall encloses the marsh on two sides with a surfaced cycleway to the north. The circular walk around the wall is about 4km long (approx. 2.5 miles) and takes in fantastic views over the marsh and across the harbour.
There are benches at 300m intervals around the sea wall, and gates with RADAR locks at the entrances.
Wellingtons or sturdy shoes may be needed if conditions are wet.
Please keep dogs on leads at all times.
Contact Information
Jamie Marsh, Solent Reserves Officer, tel: 01489 774429, mob: 07917 616696
