9th October 2025

We were invited on a guided tour of Snelsmore Common Country Park, hosted by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT).

While the park isn’t owned by BBOWT, they manage it on behalf of the local council. As a common, the park offers unrestricted access via numerous paths. BBOWT explained that during spring nesting season, they attempt to subtly restrict access to sensitive areas by placing branches in path openings. This is done to gently discourage people from entering, as outright restrictions are not permissible on a common.

The park is well-equipped for visitors, featuring a café and toilets, along with plenty of parking spread across several small car parks. The idea is that these amenities act as honeypots to concentrate the majority of visitors in a few areas, thus encouraging them not to walk through the entire common.

Heathland, Ponies and Wildlife

The tour took us through the common and various mires nestled within the heathland. To help manage and maintain the land through grazing, four ponies currently reside there, with the possibility of a couple more joining them in the future.

Among the trees, we observed a lovely array of fungi, including the striking Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria), and various other species. In some waterlogged areas, we were shown Sundew, a fascinating carnivorous plant. The heathland also features low sandy banks that serve as homes for nesting insects, though none were visible on the day of our visit. All four ponies were around, busily munching their way through the undergrowth.

Conclusion

It’s a lovely spot for a walk. We concluded the tour with a pleasant coffee and cake before making the unfortunate, hour-long drive back home.