A closer look at Rodden Meadow

We have some excellent green spaces in Frome, and in this edition we’ll be taking a closer look at one bordered by the river: Rodden Meadow, a beautiful grassy spot just outside the town centre.

Things to do

Enjoy the wide open space

A calm spot away from the bustle of town, the meadow is great for escaping into nature. Here’s one of our volunteers doing just that in the moonlight!

Get involved

Every year sees all sorts of events at Rodden Meadow, including a town picnic. Come along and you could get chance to do some river exploring with us.

Admire the river

One side of the meadow is bordered by the river, making it very accessible if you want to watch out for wildlife or just take in the sounds and sights of the water. Keep your eyes peeled for water voles, tench, and wrens flitting down to take a drink.

Look for wildlife

There are all sorts of creatures around the meadow. Look out for long-tailed tits, woodpeckers and bullfinches in the trees, butterflies and bees among the grass, and if you’re there on a summer’s evening, you’ll spot plenty of bats swooping about.

Top tips for taking care of the meadow & river

Leave no trace

There are bins dotted around the edge of the meadow for rubbish and dog poo. Remember, anything you leave behind could harm wildlife or end up in the river.

Keep out of the water

The river around Rodden isn’t right for swimming. Avoid your dog dipping too. Dogs can disturb wildlife and their flea treatments leach into the water and kill important insects.

Where is Rodden Meadow?

Rodden Meadow is a 5-10 minute walk from the town centre. Walk down Willow Vale, a row of beautiful historic houses opposite Frome Museum. Follow the footpath and you’ll end up in the meadow.

The annual Rodden Meadow picnic sees the meadow filled with people enjoying food, music, games – and river dipping! Dipping involves gently kicking the riverbed and collecting critters in a net, so you can count them to get an idea of how healthy the river is.

In the summer most of the grass is left long, with paths and spaces mown for walking and picnics. This makes sure there’s plenty of food for bees, butterflies and other important pollinators.

Look out for riverside wildlife by the meadow, like these tench. Kingfishers are also known to nest nearby.