Chessel Bay Nature Reserve

Rat infested but can be nice at sunset

not really seen much of this place , but one photo I did see , looks like they have got a rubbish or polution issue.

Every offending industry next to this NATURE RESERVE " should contribute to keeping it tidy

Living close to the bay, it is a regular afternoon stroll for our family. Loads of wild birds around and a relaxing atmosphere. Pity for the trash that wash up on the shore at times, but it gets cleaned promptly. Also has a Geocache" on the trail."

The staggeringly huge volumes of plastic in this Nature Reserve appear to be from either local businesses or local people - so Southampton City Council should be using their funds taken in business rates and council tax to clear it. This site requires a serious effort involving dredging and the removal of large quantities of waste. Let's see how seriously SCC really take environmental concerns. Do they care?

I'm going to give a positive review for this place as it's all about perspective... Other reviews I have read are actually reviewing the citezens of Southampton... Not this nature reserve...Due to the geography of the river much waste thrown in the river by humans ends up washing up here, unfortunately for the wildlife.Back a few years ago, clean up brigades were organised by caring individuals. A quality that has become rare these days as people just consider it not my responsibility

Nice views of the Itchen and lots of wildlife to see. Lots of litter unfortunately, the area is one of the worst affected places for microplastics in the region but progress is being made.

Could be a very lovely walk and view of the river, but is almost totally spoiled by pollution.

Could be a really nice nature reserve on a river but sadly it is completely awash with nurdles (virgin plastic plastics), likely from one (or all) of the 4 plastic manufacturing companies across the river. Along with the billions of nurdles, it’s also covered in rubbish; pens, lolly pop sticks, syringes, spoons, Christmas cracker toys, tampon applicators, bottle tops, cans, plastic bottles, everything you can imagine is there.It’s sad to see Southampton’s first nature reserve look exactly how the rest of Southampton does. It feels like they don’t really care about it, god knows how much plastic the birds in the area are digesting. A family of swans live there and you can see them rummaging around for food, I dread to thing how many nurdles they’ve swallowed.It’s clearly been this way for a long time, I only hope the council band together with locals to organise as many clean ups as are needed and the environment agency investigate the plastic manufacturers opposite.If you visit the reserve, please photograph what you witness, email your MP, complain to the EA, and pick up a small amount if you can, without disrupting wildlife.It is heartbreaking and shameful to see this little corner of nature in a big city, be treated just as bad as the big city.