I love places like this. To look at it, you might assume it was totally natural. A forgotten corner of the country that has somehow escaped urbanization. In fact it’s manmade. Rodley Nature Reserve was constructed on a floodplain and has become a home for bats, dragonflies, butterflies, amphibians and a variety of birds. At a time when we so often hear bad news about species becoming extinct because of us, it’s wonderful to find somewhere that humans are working to help and support other kinds of life.

An as added bonus, it’s an ideal spot to nurse a hangover.

Damian Mark Whittle

Lagoon

Pond

Wetlands

Reeds