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Click to read more about: Brading Marshes - Walks & Research
Brading Marshes consist of the reclaimed lands formerly known as Brading Haven and are now mostly owned by the RSPB who since 2001 have been busy renewing fences, coppicing, clearing and creating wetlands to encourage wildfowl to visit and breed, and to make the marshes a safely conserved environment. Brading Station Visitor Centre is the meeting place for the RSPB’s guided walks, mainly during the summer season and outlined in the RSPB’s leaflet available there. Independent walkers can follow a route outlined in the booklet Five Walks for all the family around Brading, also available from the Visitor Centre. This follows the old railway track to the 1594 Old Sea Wall and back along the banks of the Yar. From the Old Sea Wall it is possible to gain some idea of the extent of the former Haven in the 14th century, as far as St. Helens to the north and Yarbridge to the south. In 2006 Brading Town Council commissioned an Archaeological Survey of the Old Sea Wall which was conducted by WCA Heritage. The report also contains much of general historical interest about Brading. The Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment is available from the link below. A more detailed account of the Reclamation can be found on Rob Martin’s website at
Brading Marshes: RSPB
The Lapwing (left) and the Little Egret are just two of the Star species listed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Boards as regulars in the Brading Marshes it now manages. The area covers most of the beautiful valley of the lower River Yar, running from Brading to the sea at Bembridge Harbour. The reserve is criss-crossed by miles of footpath offering the sights and sounds of buzzards, green woodpeckers, cuckoos, blackcaps and chiffchaffs as well as winter wildfolwl and waders in large groups. Brading Station is the natural gateway to the area. More details are available by following the link below to the RSPB’s own site: |
