High Wood and Meadow
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An exciting mix of woodland and meadows with a good variety of wildlife |
High Wood is an enchanting ancient woodland full of wild cherry trees and a rich ground flora. It was coppiced in the traditional way through the centuries, meaning that shrubs and trees were regularly cut to ground level to give a reliable supply of wood for fuel and tools. Coppicing lets sunlight into the wood and so encourages bluebells and other woodland flowers to flourish. The rare opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage is found in damper areas.
Much of the Meadow is acidic grassland where herbs such as cat’s-ear, tormentil, sheep’s sorrel and heath bedstraw grow. Other more marshy areas provide ideal growing conditions for ragged-robin and wild angelica. Patches of hawthorn scrub and gorse flourish on the meadow providing a patchwork of habitats. You may see evidence of badgers and foxes here. The rabbit population keeps the grassland short, while buzzards often appear overhead.
Birds: Snipe, fieldfare, redwing Mammals: Badger, fox |
Plants: Bluebell, primrose, yellow pimpernel, opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage, ragged-robin, moschatel Insects: Brimstone butterfly Birds: Buzzards, cuckoo |
Plants: Tormentil, cat’s-ear, wild angelica, gorse, wood vetch, pill sedge, pale sedge Insects: Marbled white and speckled wood butterflies Birds: Tits, warblers |
Birds: Green woodpecker |