25 wonderful woodlands to visit

Autumn woodland - 25 wonderful woodlands to visit - Country&travel - allaboutyou.com

Alice Holt Woodland, Farnham, Surrey

This ancient forest once supplied timber for the Navy's ships but more recently, Alice Holt oak was used to build the replica of Shakespeare's Globe theatre in London. Take to the trees on rope bridges at the Go Ape high-wire forest adventure up in the canopy (www.forestry.gov.uk/aliceholt).

Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest, Goudhurst, Kent

A renowned collection of temperate conifers, plus the 2,000-acre forest has miles and miles of family cycling trails, bridle paths for horse riders and orienteering routes as well as adventure play areas (www.forestry.gov.uk/bedgebury).

Brede High Woods, Battle, East Sussex

The Woodland Trust's largest ancient woodland in England, some 55 ancient species grow here and it is home to many birds as well as slow worms, great crested newts, dormice and fallow deer (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk).

Selborne Hill, Alton, Hampshire

The much-loved descriptions of 18th-century pastor and naturalist Gilbert White perfectly accompany a walk in these steep beech woods (www.nationaltrust.org.uk).

Parkhurst Forest, Newport, Isle of Wight

These coniferous woods are a beautiful haven for red squirrels, while the world's single biggest maternity roost for Barbastelle bats can be found within an ancient split oak (www.forestry.gov.uk).

Duncliffe Wood, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Rising dramatically out of Blackmoor Vale, this large woodland can be seen from miles around and is home to a scattering of coppice stools from ancient limes (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk).

Ebbor Gorge, near Wells, Somerset

A densely wooded cleft in the Mendips, hidden in the hills above Wookey Hole. The mainly ash woodland has a primeval feel and lesser horseshoe bats regularly roost in the gorge (www.gov.uk).

Benthall Edge Wood, Ironbridge, Shropshire

On the south bank of the Severn are the wooded slopes of Ironbridge Gorge - the cradle of the Industrial Revolution. Underfoot the earth is black in some places, partly the remains of charcoal hearths but mostly this is little lumps of coal emerging from seams beneath the wood (www.severngorge.org.uk).

Rockingham Forest, Corby, Northamptonshire

This medieval hunting forest is one of the best places in the country to see red kites and, at the information centre, visitors can see chicks in the nest (www.rockingham-forest-trust.org.uk).

Bradfield Woods, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Oak pollards and ancient coppices tell the story of a classic working woodland dating back 750 years (www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org).

Twyford Wood, Colsterworth, Lincolnshire

This ancient wood surrounds a Second World War airfield and control tower, while the open grasslands are wonderful butterfly reserves (www.forestry.gov.uk).

Sherwood Forest, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

Steeped in the legend of Robin Hood, Sherwood is home to 900 oak trees including the famous Major Oak, thought to be around 800 years old (www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk).

Eaves Wood, Silverdale, Lancashire

Limestone woods filled with surprisingly luxuriant plant life among the moss-covered blocks - and at the summit, stupendous views over Morecambe Bay (www.nationaltrust.org.uk).

Borrowdale Fraternal Four, Keswick, Cumbria

The Borrowdale Yews in this dramatic Lakeland valley are four ancient trees celebrated in Wordsworth's 1803 poem, Yew Trees. One blew down in 1883 but the other three yew trees are still going strong (www.ancient-tree-hunt.org).

Broxa Forest, Burniston, North Yorkshire Moors

Visit at night to spot nightjars, nocturnal birds from Africa that spend the summer here in the open heaths. There are also many unusual tree species among the pines and native varieties (www.forestry.gov.uk).

Whittle Dene, Ovingham, Northumberland

Discover the remains of this intriguing wood's industrial past, as well as a range of wildlife including sparrowhawks, deer and otters (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk).

Glen Finglas, Trossachs, Stirlingshire

This 4,000-hectare estate is one of the largest collections of ancient trees in Scotland, attracting painters and writers over the years (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk).

Newcastleton Forest, Liddesdale, Scottish Borders

Part of the biggest forest in Britain, with trails designed to allow walkers, cyclists and horse riders a chance to enjoy the peace, wildness and spectacular views (www.forestry.gov.uk).

Reelig Glen Wood, Inverness, Highlands

A grove of Douglas Fir here has the largest concentration of tall trees in the British Isles - one was used as a mast for the Discovery, the ship Scott sailed to the Antarctic (www.forestry.gov.uk).

Credenhill Park Wood, Herefordshire

This wood is one of Britain's PAWS, a planted ancient woodland site, supporting many rare species. An Iron Age tribal capital sits in the middle of it and the views from the hill fort towards Wales are timeless (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk).

Pembrey Forest, Carmarthenshire

One of Britain's sand dune forests, where the ‘slacks' or valleys between the dunes are often filled with fresh water, attracting rare wildlife (www.forestry.gov.uk).

Talybont Forest, Powys

Enjoy the waterfalls of Blaen-y-glyn at the head of the forest, as well as a walking and cycling trail (www.forestry.gov.uk).

Savernake Estate, Marlborough, Wiltshire

Britain's only privately owned forest is home to massive crumbling ancient oak pollards. The Capability Brown four-mile long avenue of beeches is a highlight (www.forestry.gov.uk).

Carnmoney Hill, Newtownabbey, County Antrim

One of the largest woodland creation projects in Northern Ireland - more than 57,000 native trees have been planted on a hill overlooking Belfast. Among the trees are two souterrains (man-made underground tunnels) probably used as ancient escape routes from Vikings and other raiders (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk).

Drumlamph Woodland, Maghera, County Londonderry

A haven for wildlife, Drumlamph is home to Irish hares, which live along the woodland edges and surrounding rush meadow in one of Ulster's rare and ancient woods (www.woodlandtrust.org.uk).

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