About the reserve

Ravensroost Wood is a Platinum Jubilee Wood, full of interesting wildlife and history. You can walk into surrounding wildflower fields for a contrasting experience. To the east are Ravensroost and Avis Meadows, and to the north are Warbler and Distillery Meadows.

The wood’s northern section is a fine example of ancient woodland, meaning it has been continuously wooded since at least 1600AD. The south was almost completely cleared from the mid-1600s to make way for agriculture, before being replanted in the 19th century. We bought the wood in 1987. One of the rare ancient woodland tree species found here, is the wild service-tree, also known as chequers. In the past its berries were used to make alcoholic drinks.

Follow the surfaced path, known as the Jack Smith ride, through the wood until you come to the Shooting Hut. This was built in the 1930s and auctions were held here to sell coppiced wood. Lots of smaller rides criss-cross the wood and there are ponds.

Ravensroost Wood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and fantastic for birds. Winter is a good time for foraging birds such as redwing and nuthatch. The tawny owls are at their noisiest in December as they start to pair bond. Great and lesser spotted woodpeckers start drumming in January. Come for the Dawn Chorus in May and listen to warblers, blackcap, wren and treecreepers sing for their mates. Bats, including pipistrelle, forage at dusk and in autumn more than 450 species of fungi can be found here, such as the jellied mass of brain fungus.

Adjacent to Ravensroost are also some wildflower-rich grasslands at Avis, Distillery and Warbler Meadows.