Englemere Pond

Englemere Pond Nature Reserve covers an area of 27.6 Ha, 68.2 acres, and consists of a shallow acidic lake offering a wide range of habitats that are important for wildlife. The site is extremely popular with dog-walkers, ramblers and nature lovers.

For much of its recorded history the site has been part of a great Royal Hunting Forest that surrounded Windsor Castle and today is still part of The Crown Estate.

Englemere Pond is featured on Great Places for Circular Walks.

Facilities

Englemere Pond has:

• a site noticeboard containing general site/wildlife information and temporary notices
• 2 circular marked trails that start and end at the car park
• a bench at the pond viewing platform where you can observe the waterfowl that visit the pond
• sleeper bridges and boardwalks have been installed and surfacing has been provided in particularly wet areas of the trail

Park management

Englemere Pond is managed under a licence agreement by Bracknell Forest Council.

The site is being enhanced as a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace in order to create an enjoyable natural environment for recreation, away from the Thames Basin Heath Special Protection Area.

The Scots pine woodland is managed as a timber crop by The Crown Estate. Oak, mountain ash, willow and silver birch are also found here. Alder trees are a favourite haunt of wintering migrant birds, such as siskins and redpolls who feed on the seeds.

Wildlife

The site is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) for its important range of habitats and associated species. Open water and marshes are surrounded by commercial forest and heathland areas, each of which provide their own variety of plant species and a home for many birds, insects and animals.

The reed bed and shallow lake is important for many specialised birds and insects including grass snakes and the boggy areas are important for the strange and beautiful plant: the round-leaved sundew.