Dew ponds, mysterious man-made features of the rural English landscape, have a fascinating history. They were primarily constructed to provide water for livestock in areas where natural water sources were scarce, such as on high, chalky downlands, just like at Sheepdrove Organic Farm.
“We have no waters to delight,
Our broad and brookless vales-
Only the dew-pond on the height
Unfed, that never fails ….”
– Rudyard Kipling
At Sheepdrove Organic Farm two dew ponds have been restored, increasing biodiversity and providing important on-farm freshwater. The work is part of the Partnerships for Nature Project led by Sheepdrove and North Wessex Downs National Landscape, funded by Defra’s Species Survival Fund, administered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
If you would like to enjoy a circular walk to visit the three dew ponds at Sheepdrove Farm please email info@sheepdrove.com with the subject Dew Ponds Walk. The walk will include drovers’ roads, field margins, and footpaths that weave across the 2,000-acre organic mixed farm.
The route goes through a rich mosaic of farmland habitats, including arable fields, shelter belts, hedgerows, young woodland, and wild arable plant plots. Keep your ears tuned to the distinctive calls of corn buntings and skylarks—both of which thrive in this farmed landscape.
The walk is led by Rosie Kindersley of Sheepdrove Organic Farm.
