Langham Pond, nature reserve in Surrey, England
Langham Pond is a small pond near Runnymede in England that forms part of a protected site with special scientific value. The water sits within an abandoned river channel that gradually filled with sediment over centuries, now surrounded by meadows and woodland accessible through walking paths.
The pond formed from an abandoned course of the River Thames that was gradually left behind and filled with sediment over centuries. The site received official protection in 1986 to preserve the rare plants and insects found nowhere else in Britain.
The pond serves as a quiet gathering place where locals and visitors observe wildlife in a setting that reflects traditional English countryside life. Walking around the water, people experience a connection to nature that has remained largely unchanged for generations.
Access to parts of the site may be restricted, so it is best to check with the National Trust before visiting to confirm current access rights and open areas. Walking paths offer different viewpoints across meadows, woodland, and water at a leisurely pace.
The pond is home to all four species of British duckweed, tiny floating plants rarely seen together elsewhere in the country. Notably, a fly called Cerodontha ornata was first discovered here and has never been found anywhere else in Britain.
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