29/07/2026
This time of year, I’m travelling to London 2 or 3 times a week for photography jobs, catching the train from Gerrards Cross at varying times of the day. There’s a strip of ‘wild’ land behind Platform 1, covered with native wildflowers and scrub including elderflower and lots of buddleja (commonly known as the butterfly bush.
I normally arrive 10/15 minute before the train arrives, allowing me time to have a look at the ‘wild’ land to see what wildlife GX station has to offer that day. The area is managed by a local group, and I believe from the signage, is sponsored by Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust - BBOWT.
If you take the time to look, it’s absolutely bursting with insects and birds. Just this morning within 10 minutes (to the soundtrack of many many grasshoppers) I saw 2 hummingbird hawk moths, many butterflies including 4 painted lady, a common blue, 2 meadow brown, 2 gatekeeper, 3 red admiral, and 3 whites. There were also 2 blackcap birds darting between shrubs.
It may not be much to look at, and it’s all a bit parched given the warm dry weather we’ve had, but this is an amazing and valuable haven for wildlife. We need more spaces like this around GX and Chalfont St Peter.
Thank you to all involved for making my commute all the more enjoyable.
Gerrards Cross Town Council GXCA Chiltern Railways Gerrards Cross Community Group
