NORTHUMBERLAND WILDLIFE TRUST
Nearest Town: Holystone, upper Coquetdale
OS Map: NT945028 (OS 50 000 Sheet 80)
This 15ha SSSI is a semi-natural oak wood more typical of the Lake District.
Location and access: Car parking is available at the Forestry Commission picnic site 0.5 km beyond Holystone village. To get to the reserve, follow the forest trail north past the sign to Lady's Well. There are footpaths inside the eastern and southern boundaries of the wood.
The reserve is a semi-natural, acid sessile oakwood, an upland habitat more typical of the Lake District. Many of the trees are multi-stemmed indicating former coppicing, although records show that the wood was last worked in this manner over 60 years ago. The ground flora is relatively poor but notable species include chickweed, wintergreen and lesser twayblade. Moss hummocks of Leucobryum glaucum are a special feature of the wood and can be seen at the northern edge. Also look out for wood anemone, and woodland birds such as wood warbler, tawny owl and woodcock. The wood links into a circular Forest Enterprise marked walk. Part of the wood has been fenced off to exclude deer in order to promote natural regeneration. The site is managed in association with the Forestry Commission.