About the reserve

Visit these three meadows in spring and summer for their vivid wild flower displays.

Wood Field is a large area of grassland that was a part of Webb’s Wood until the area was cleared during the 1950s.

Skinner’s Ground and Ditch Field are much older, sheltered, flower-rich meadows laying either side of Woodridge Brook, which has its own special habitat and forms much of the southern boundary.

Skinner’s Ground has the most wild flowers - more than 80 species have been seen here. Orchids include pyramidal, heath spotted orchid, southern marsh, early purple and green-winged.

In the middle is a pond, overhung by an old oak pollard, where gipsywort can be found.

Adjacent Webb’s Wood provides a woodland edge which is favoured by butterflies - the purple hairstreak, white admiral, purple emperor and silver-washed fritillary to name a few.

A small copse contains the uncommon small-leaved lime. Spot the delicate spindles of enchanter's nightshade.

More than 400 species of fungi can be found on the reserve, so look closely at old trees, dead wood stumps and rotting logs - places you are most likely to find them.

Barn owl, snipe, woodcock and raven are present.

In July we cut hay in Skinner’s Ground and Ditch Field and then graze with cattle or sheep in the autumn to control the more vigorous grasses. Wood Field has fewer flowers so we mostly manage it by grazing, which benefits insects.