Steps to Restoration: walking from Pad Farm to Bramber Brooks

The view north across the mudflats at low tide.

On a sunny October morning, the Adur River Recovery project hosted a walking tour from Shoreham to Bramber. Led by experts from the Ouse and Adur River Trust and Horsham District Council, the walk highlighted two of the many exciting restoration plans being developed along the Adur and emphasized the vital connections between the emerging restoration efforts across the catchment. River enthusiasts, walkers, and stakeholders joined to explore how these initiatives are helping to revive the Adur.

Peter King introduced the project on the Old Toll Bridge.

PAD FARM

Lancing College peeks out behind Pad Farm.

Beginning at the Old Toll bridge in Shoreham, we heard from Helen Peacock of Horsham District Council and Peter King from the Ouse and Adur River Trust. Peter and Helen led the first half of the walk up to Pad Farm – an area of land acquired by Adur District Council. As we walked along the steep embankments dividing the Adur from the arable farmland of Pad Farm – we heard of the ambitious goal to reconnect the river to Pad Farm and restore vital saltmarsh habitat by re-directing 17km of embankment.

Adur saltmarsh at high tide.

Saltmarshes are habitats that are continuously flooded and drained by the tides, leading to the deposition of fine mud and silt along sheltered stretches of coastal waters. These habitats store a phenomenal amount of carbon – at a greater rate per area than terrestrial forests and peatlands.

Saltmarsh also offers valuable defences to flooding, where they buffer high tides, absorb rainwater, and prevent soil erosion. Many farms along the Adur are at risk from flooding, particularly as the climate warms in the coming years. Restoring areas of saltmarsh creates a greater expanse of floodplain, which will help reduce the risk of flooding for upstream farmland. Yet, according to the UK centre for Ecology and Hydrology, England has lost 85% of saltmarsh since the 1800s, with the primary cause being drainage for agriculture.

The embankment slices through the saltmarsh opposite Pad Farm.

Pad Farm is one such section of land that has been drained and cut off from the river by constructed embankments. By re-aligning the embankment to the back of the farm and redirecting the historical drainage system, Adur District Council aims to restore part of the natural range of Saltmarsh along this section of the Adur.

A Little Egret takes flight after feeding in the saltmarsh.

Biodiversity has lots to gain from saltmarsh restoration too. Exceptionally high levels of structural and plant diversity lead to a large number of invertebrates which provide a rich food source for wading birds.

With such an exciting project comes many important considerations, which is why extensive research of the topographical, ecological, hydrological, and social connections of the river has been funded by DEFRA to assess the best course of action for the project.

The walk continued with lots of talk of nature recovery, emerging projects and – of course – birds! As we meandered down from Pad Farm towards Bramber Brooks, we spotted Kestrels hovering above the farm, Little Egrets searching through the saltmarsh, Herons watching from the banks, and Swans gliding down the river - to name just a few.

The walk continued on through the sunshine.

BRAMBER BROOKS

We enjoyed some refreshments and a chat as we reached Bramber Brooks.

After stopping for some much-needed refreshments beside a thriving community orchard, Helen and Peter handed over to another passionate Pete – Pete Crawford, the Horsham District Council Parks and Countryside Manager, who led us to Bramber Brooks Nature Reserve.

The reedbed emerges from the wet, boggy ground at Bramber Brooks.

Bramber Brooks is nestled along the Adur at the Southern edge of Horsham district, by Bramber village. Expanding over 40 acres and encompassing a fascinating historical monument of medieval salting remains, part of this historic grassland floodplain has dried out due to embankments causing a disconnect, and the site is in need of ecological restoration.

Pete directed us over to a construction site and explained the exciting work in progress. Acquired by Horsham District Council in January, the Environment Agency have created three sets of shallow pools, with lots of wet, muddy edges. These wetland ponds will provide a fantastic habitat for wading birds in the winter, summer warblers, and breeding fish in the spring. Excitingly, the soil moved during construction will be used to create a raised bank walkway around the wetland – providing a perfect route for spotting these wildlife beneficiaries!

The construction of wetland ponds is well under way at Bramber Brooks.

With the charming soundtrack of a Cetti’s warbler singing amongst the reeds, Pete highlighted the importance of the reedbeds for warblers, insects, moths, and breeding birds. The explosive song of sedge warblers can often be heard at Bramber Brooks, and even the distinctive sound of the Cuckoo has been noted amongst the wetland. With Barn Owls spotted here too, news of this exciting project provided the perfect conclusion to an inspiring and informative walk.

Pete Crawford concluded the walk at Bramber Brooks.

A walk to remember…

In the span of a morning ramble, we learnt of two fascinating projects which oversee the collaboration of councils, landowners, local initiatives, NGOs, contractors, scientists, walkers, construction workers, and more. With the knowledge that over 27 land managers are working with the Adur River Recovery project, the overwhelming potential the Adur provides for collaboration, growth, and connection, alongside the essential benefits in biodiversity, flood defences, and ecosystem services was palpable as we gazed across the river.

A stunning view across the Adur at high tide.