The adjacent mudflats and salt marshes outside the seawall
are leased by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
and form their Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes Reserve.
Together these two reserves ensure the protection of an
extensive area of coastal habitat. Both reserves lie within
the New Forest National Park, recognising their importance
for both wildlife and people.
You can obtain good views of the marshes and their
wildlife from the Solent Way which runs the length of the
reserve. There are also several attractive circular walks on
local footpaths which cross the area.
The reserve is open every day of the year for quiet
informal recreation on designated paths and tracks.
Control of water levels,
salinity and grazing are
crucial. During the
summer cattle and ponies
from the New Forest
graze the reserve. Grazing
animals help control scrub
and invasive species such
as rush. Many of the specialist plants and insects depend
on wet ditches and ponds being of the right salinity.
A system of sluices and tidal flaps are used to control
flooding and water flow around the reserve.
How you can help
b
Please ensure dogs do not foul paths or enter areas
where birds may be nesting, roosting or feeding
b
Please take your litter home. Leave this beautiful
coast for others to enjoy
b
Please stay on the footpaths and ensure all gates
are closed
b
Cyclists please be considerate to other users on
narrow paths
Contact information
Hampshire County Council, Countryside Service
Normandy Farm, Normandy Lane,
Lymington Hamshire SO41 8AE
Tel 01590 674656
www.hants.gov.uk/countryside
www.newforestnpa.gov.uk
Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve is
situated in the New Forest National Park,
a historic landscape with a diverse wildlife
and cultural heritage.
Designed by R&H Graphic Unit 01962 826747
Photos by Dennis Bright, Pete Durnell and Marcus Ward; illustrations by Nick Skelton and Dan Powell.
Printed on 75% post-consumer waste paper by Hampshire Printing Services.
LY
M
Welcome to the Lymington–
Keyhaven Nature Reserve.
Hampshire County Council
purchased this beautiful area
of coastline between 1973
and 2006 to protect its unique
historical and wildlife heritage. The reserve covers nearly
200 Ha (500 acres) between the mouth of the Lymington
River and the village of Keyhaven.
Management of the reserve
I
O N–KE Y H
AV
EN
Introduction
T
NG
Nature Reserve
Wildlife of
the Reserve
The coastal grazing
marshes
Varied wildlife habitats
The mosaic of ponds, ditches, and lagoons on
the reserve support a large number of wetland
plants and animals. In winter wading birds
including Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew and
Lapwing feed in the flooded pastures alongside
Wigeon and Brent Geese. Spring sees the arrival
of migrants from the south. Wheatears appear
on the shingle at Iley Point and Whitethroats sing
from clumps of bramble along the Ancient
Highway. In early summer look out for Linnets
and Stonechats perched on Gorse bushes
around the reserve.
The Lagoons
A rare and special habitat
Just inside the seawall lie a series of shallow,
brackish lagoons connected to the sea through a
system of sluices and tidal flaps. The salinity in
these lagoons varies widely, but is generally lower
than seawater. This specialised habitat supports
its own distinctive plants and animals, some of
which are only found in this type of environment.
The lagoons are some of the most important in
Britain with populations of rare species including
Foxtail Stonewort, Lagoon Shrimp and Starlet Seaanemone.
Plants flowering on the seawall include Sea Pink,
Rock Samphire and Sea Campion. In late
summer the ditches are full of the purpleflowered Sea Aster, often attracting Wall Brown
and Painted Lady butterflies. Several species of
dragonfly patrol the waterways catching insects
or searching for a mate. Mammals too make a
home on the reserve, Roe Deer and Hares are
frequently seen around Normandy Marsh while
numerous mice and voles provide food for
hunting Barn Owls.
In winter the flooded lagoons are home to
wildfowl such as Mallard, Shoveler and Teal. Spring
and autumn bring migrant wading birds including
Whimbrel, Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint.
Main photo: Heron and Little Egret.
The islands within Normandy Lagoon enable Little
Tern, Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher to breed in
relative safety.
Brown Hare
Barn Owl
Ringed Plover
Thrift
Ruddy Darter
Black-tailed Godwit
Shelduck
A3
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Ro
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Vin
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Ro
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Pla
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st
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The Solent
0
A3
Path not suitable for wheelchairs
7
8
A303
Vehicle access
1
A3
A325
M3
A303
A30
A30
1
A3
No vehicle access
A3
2
A3
9
A3
10
A337 to
Lyndhurst & M27
11
4
Iley Point
14
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1
B3054 to
Beaulieu
New Forest
National
Park Boundary
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SOUTHAMPTON
A337 to
Christchurch
7
1
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Lymington
3
10
NEW FOREST
NATIONAL
PARK
A27
SE
5
B30
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RE
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The distance between Lymington and
Keyhaven along the sea wall is approximately
5 miles and takes about 11/2 hours.
Milford-on-Sea
CHRISTCHURCH
Keyhaven
Hurst Spit
ISLE OF WIGHT
ferry
to Hurst Castle
and Hurst Spit
Wight
CHRISTCHURCH
E
4
11
RV
9
A
Hampshire Wildlife Trust
Nature Reserve
o k e C an
A287
Isle of
S
5
A33
Ile
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W
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A30
13
Lane
Toilet
Footpath
8
ass
altg r
S
1
Car Park
M3
d-on
-Sea
The
Gun Inn
PH
Access point for walkers
Solent Way Long-distance trail
Old Tip
Butts
Lagoon
3
A331
Av
o
NEW FOREST
Oxey
NATIONAL
Lagoon
PARK
2
g
Keyhaven
Marsh
Keyhaven
Lagoon
Key
B a si n
les r
Hampshire Wildlife Trust
Nature Reserve
Pennington
Lagoon
Efford
Landfill site
(vehic
Oxey
Marsh
A3
43
yL
an
e
Pennington
Dock
Fishtail
Lagoon
Dock
Oxey
Barn
e
Oxey
Lake
23
A3
ne
Old Salt
Buildings
Pennington
Marsh
ay
Highwted)
t
n
e
i
Anc
estric
Maiden
Dock
N
39
A3
re L a
Normandy
Marsh
Normandy
Lagoon
A34
Ly m o
ane
Salterns
Marsh Moses
The
Chequers
PH
er
Yacht Marina
57
A30
ilf or
Rd
yL
42
A3
to M
ve n
and
Riv
Normandy
Farm
Normandy
Barn
8 Acre
Pond
Salterns
Cottage
ay L a n e
Lan
to Lymington
and A337
The Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve contains the best
preserved examples of medieval and later salt workings in
southern England.
Lower Pennington
Salt was made by impounding seawater in shallow lagoons,
known as salterns where it was left to evaporate. Wind
pumps were then used to draw off the brine solution into
large metal pans where it was heated until only the salt
remained.
Keyhaven
Ridge w
Artist’s impression of salt works
A series of narrow docks were constructed to enable sailing
barges to import coal for the boiling houses and to export the
salt. Moses Dock is the only remaining navigable dock, but
other examples include Maiden Dock and Pennington Dock.
The production of sea salt was important in this area from
Middle Ages until 1865, when cheaper mined salt from
Cheshire forced the closure of the last saltern.
rm
Maiden Lane
The landscape we see today has been shaped by more than
2000 years of human activity. If you look carefully there are
signs of a major industry which once thrived here.
The manufacture of salt
No
to n
TU
Poles Lane
Lane
Woodside
Signs within the landscape
ing
A30
Kin
All Saints Ro
ad
History and Archaeology
Lym
g's
Ro S a l t e r
ad
n
Lymington
Nature Reserve
Keyh
a
R
St ail w
a t ay
io
n
ley
n
a
t
S ad
Ro
A3
25
AV
A34
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