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Cholsey Marsh Nature Reserve extends for 1.1 miles along the west bank of the
River Thames between Wallingford and Goring, near Cholsey village, and contains a mixture of habitats, principally river frontage, marsh, pools, wet woodland and damp meadows. Wildlife, including insects, snails and dragonflies, is concentrated around the marshy areas, which occur in a narrow band close to the river, across the northern half of the site.
Wildflowers in the reserve are all common with just one exception, the summer snowflake (
leucojum aestivum), also known as the Loddon lily on account of its abundance along the nearby River Loddon. Elsewhere in the country this plant is mostly found as a garden escape, but is believed to be native here and at other marshy locations in and around the Thames Valley.
Marsh used to be common beside slow-moving rivers such as the Thames but most has been drained over the past centuries so the land can be used for agriculture; Cholsey is a rare surviving section. The reserve is quite scenic, of interest because of landscapes as well as plant and animal life - the wide river is typically calm and tranquil, while the marshes, pools and aged riverside trees are also characterful.