Mend the Gap

15/06/2026

We had a great time at The Gap Festival Family Day in Goring on Saturday. We chatted with lots of people about our projects, along with the special qualities of the Goring Gap and the two National Landscapes either side of the Thames. Children planted wildflower seeds, generously given by local farmers from the lowland meadows and chalk grassland. Thanks to everyone who came along and to the Gap Festival for inviting us to be a part of their Wonders of the Natural World!

Chilterns National Landscape North Wessex Downs National Landscape

11/06/2026

08/06/2026

We are excited to be a part of the Family Day at The Gap Festival this Saturday 13th June. You'll find us in the Nature Zone, where we'll have a fun activity for children to discover more about plants which make the area special. Come along and take part, and find out more about the work we're doing across the Goring Gap.
Chilterns National LandscapeNorth Wessex Downs National LandscapeWithymead Nature ReserveBeale Wildlife Park

Saturday 13th is Family Day! A festival within the festival, with more than 40 FREE activities and refreshments available throughout the day. Gates open 9.30am, main stage talks begin at 10am. Start planning your day, full details at

🔗www.thegapfestival.org/news/family-day-the-wonders-of-the-natural-world/

🧪Why not enhance your experience by booking tickets for the Science Live! show with The Royal Institution (of BBC Christmas Lectures acclaim!) £5

🤖 Plus there are ONLY 5 SPACES left on the Discover Robotics and Coding Using LEGO® Bricks workshop at 3pm. £10.

ESA - European Space Agency University of Reading The Living Rainforest Beale Wildlife Park Simon Booker Berkshire reptile encounters Withymead Nature Reserve Mend the Gap Good Food Oxfordshire AwesomeBooks Yoga & Wellbeing with Emma James Carter The Miller of Mansfield Truly Scrumptious Bakery Sole Luna Pizza Jessies Coffee Truck

03/06/2026

Would you like to know more about identifying key local tree species in the Thames Valley? Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre is helping to keep records of black poplar, disease-resistant elm, and wild pear which is planting in the area. TVERC is holding a session at Withymead Nature Reserve on the morning of Sunday 7th June to learn a bit about identifying these species, and you can see some of these trees around the reserve. They will be providing a volunteer opportunity for those interested in furthering their skills or who are already confident in tree IDs. No need to book, do go along from 10am.

Chilterns National Landscape North Wessex Downs National Landscape Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre Withymead Nature Reserve

28/05/2026

The entrance to Withymead Nature Reserve along the Ridgeway National Trail has had a makeover this spring. The new gates with their specially designed carving have been installed as the culmination of this phase of project funding from , which has included a large section of boardwalk and a new visitor welcome area. Huge thanks to all the team of volunteers at Withymead, especially Jenny Hedge for co-ordinating the project. The reserve is now open on Fridays and Sundays. Check their website for details.
Chilterns National Landscape North Wessex Downs National Landscape

20/05/2026

It's World Bee Day! Around 88% of flowering plants are pollinated by animals, including honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees. Here are 5 things you can do to help bees in the Thames Valley. You can see some of these fantastic wildflowers on chalk grassland near Streatley from the Ridgeway National Trail 📷Peter Orr

North Wessex Downs National Landscape Chilterns National Landscape

15/05/2026

Delightful to see these wetland birds enjoying the specially-created habitat as it develops! This has been a truly collaborative project.

14/05/2026

It's dragonfly time! A number of species of dragonflies and damselfies are on the wing on sunny days in the Thames Valley area. One that is hard to spot is the Common Clubtail, which is found on slow-moving rivers, including some areas of the River Thames. If you are lucky enough to spot one, you can help in its conservation by sharing the details either on an online app such as irecord, or with the local wildlife records centre.

📷Steve Godz
North Wessex Downs National Landscape Chilterns National Landscape Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre

13/05/2026

Thames Path National Trail30th anniversary relay walks take place from Wallingford to Goring and Goring to Caversham through the area on 15 & 16 June 👇
North Wessex Downs National Landscape Chilterns National Landscape

Come and join us on the Thames Path Relay in June to celebrate the 30th anniversary of opening the Thames Path National Trail on 24 July 1996.
Information about the 24-day walking relay between Friday 5th and Sunday 28th June here https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/thames-path/thames-path-30th-anniversary/
We are immensely grateful to all our walk leaders from local communities, The Ramblers, Pipsticks Walks - Walk, Nordic Walk, Navigate, Walk Works, Thames Strategy: Kew-Chelsea, Thames Landscape Strategy, Des Garrahan, Walk the Thames, Windsor River Watch -UK, South Bank Ramblers, Sustainable Wantage,
Thame & Wheatley Ramblers, Wild Swim, MUFC Walks, Waterway Pickers Staines, Capital Walkers, and Thames Path volunteers.
The final day's walk on Sunday 28th June will be led by West London Ramblers. This group shares a deep and enduring connection with David Sharp, widely regarded as the founding father of the Thames Path National Trail.
As part of the West London Group and later Richmond Ramblers, he was instrumental in transforming an ambitious vision into one of the country’s most treasured long-distance routes.
David represented The Ramblers at the official opening of the Thames Path on 24 July 1996 at the Thames Barrier, which was the eastern end of the trail. For many years, this marked the start or finish of the route, until its extension in January 2022 to the Woolwich Foot Tunnel, where it now connects with the King Charles III England Coast Path.



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