Dorothy Farrer'S Spring Wood (1)

Dorothy Farrer's Spring Wood is made up of three separate areas of woodland: High Wood, Dorothy Farrer's Spring Wood and Beddard's Wood. These three areas have been managed as coppice woodland in the past. Timber from the coppicing was used for bobbins, swill baskets and charcoal. The main tree species on the reserve is oak, as well as ash, hazel, elm and alder. Spring is a great time to visit when bluebells carpet much of the woodland floor, and you can see patches of wild garlic, early purple orchids and the scarcer herb paris. Coppicing has produced a profusion of other wildflowers including violets, bramble and foxglove. The damper north-facing areas of high Wood are particularly good places to seek out ferns, mosses and liverworts. Bird watchers will appreciate the nature reserve in spring and early summer when they may expect to see or at least hear pied and spotted flycatcher, redstart, willow warbler, blackcap, great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch, treecreeper and buzzard.