An updated version of this profile is online at nationalcharacterareas.co.uk. This pdf is retained for historical and completeness purposes.
The Thames Basin Heaths National Character Area (NCA) stretches westwards from Weybridge in Surrey to the countryside around Newbury in Berkshire. The London greenbelt incorporates countryside around Chobham and the rivers Wey and Mole. West of the greenbelt, 20th-century development has given rise to large conurbations including Camberley and the ‘new town’ of Bracknell. Among these conurbations, gardens amount to a significant area of greenspace, with rhododendron being a particular feature, and a major road network incorporates the M25 and M3. This densely settled area can be a significant source of pollution and rapid run-off.
Further from London, in the west, the settlement pattern is a mix of dispersed hamlets, farmsteads and houses interspersed with villages, many of medieval origin. Vestiges of the historic royal hunting forests of Bagshot, Eversley, Pamber and Windsor comprise parkland, ancient woodland, and small to medium-sized fields of semi-natural grassland. Features include ancient hedgerows and veteran trees, and there are parklands at The Vyne and Highclere Castle.
Further information