Hoe Rough and Beetley Meadows

A sign for NWT Hoe Rough standing in a field on a sunny day

NWT Hoe Rough (credit: Elizabeth Dack)

A wooden bridge across a stretch of water on a sunny day

Beetley and Hoe Rough bridge (credit: NWT)

Brown Trout

Brown Trout ©Jack Perks

Hoe Rough and Beetley Meadows

A beautiful chalk stream runs between Hoe Rough and Beetley Meadows, where brown trout and white-clawed crayfish swim, alongside a rich mix of fen and grassland habitats.

Location

Hoe Rough and Beetley Meadows lies 4km north of East Dereham close to Gressenhall farm and workhouse. Take the B1110 East Dereham to Guist road and turn left after 3km onto the B1146 Fakenham road. The nature reserve is 1km ahead on the right, before crossing the river.

Entrance is from the small roadside car park. Caution – vehicles travel at speed and visibility is poor on this stretch of road.
East Dereham
Norfolk
NR20 4BQ

OS Map Reference

TF 978 169

View on What3Words

A static map of Hoe Rough and Beetley Meadows

Know before you go

Size
19 hectares
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Entry fee

Free
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Parking information

Small roadside car park off the B1146 next to the river
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Grazing animals

You may come across cattle grazing this site during your visit. Please follow the signage.
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Walking trails

A footpath loops around the reserve and a new footbridge allows access between Hoe Rough and Beetley Meadows. See map below for more details.

Reserve map

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Access

Paths on this site are access grade 2. Please visit our Accessibility page for more information.

Dogs

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When to visit

Opening times

Dawn till dusk, every day, all year round

Best time to visit

Summer

About the reserve

This reserve is a wonderful spot for any keen naturalist, with a diverse array of invertebrates and plant species, including a number of varieties of orchid.  

The River Whitewater (a tributary of the Wensum) dissects the two sites. This crystal-clear chalkstream plays host to brown trout and the native white-clawed crayfish. If you’re lucky, you might also see otter and water vole enjoying the clear water here. 

Contact us

Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Contact number: 01603 625540
Illustrated map of Beetley and Hoe Rough

Seasonal highlights

Spring

Amphibians: great crested newt.  

Plants: green-winged orchid, bogbean. 

Summer

Fish: brown trout. 

Invertebrates: white-clawed crayfish. 

Winter

Fungi.