ACTIVITIES
W O O D L A N D WA L KS N o . 4
Short and Southwick Woods Just south of the village of Southwick are two small and delightful woods which are now connected by a piece of land which will also become a wood, providing a delightful circular tour up from the village
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Cross the road, enter into Southwick Wood, and proceed for about half a mile along the forest track Where there is a path to the right, take this and follow the edge of the wood around to the right, then head north until the second turning left, take that up a slight incline and starting to head south west back towards the exit Veer left as you approach the wood edge, then take the next right heading back towards the exit; at the next fork take the right and you will soon be back at the exit of the wood. Turn left a couple of hundred metres up the road past the water tower and take the footpath shortly after which takes off on the right back towards Short Wood Enter Short Wood by the main entrance, taking a good look at the map on display to orient yourself and determine your route; there is a shorter red and longer yellow trailed route, but although a circuit makes sense avoid going all the way around the edge as some of the most wildlife-rich rides bisect the wood
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Distance: Typical time: OS map:
Start & finish: Terrain: Stiles:
4.5 miles 2 hours Explorer (1:25 000) 224 or Landranger (1: 50 000) 141 Shuckburgh Arms, Southwick Straightforward, good tracks all the way A stile on the path up to the wood, otherwise straightforward Yes 3 miles NE of Oundle
Dog friendly: Getting there: Refreshments: The Shuckburgh Arms, Southwick, PE8 5BL. Tel: 01832 272044 serves great beer, great pub food and has a huge garden looking up towards the woods. What more could you wish for? Open from 10am for breakfast/coffee DIRECTIONS Park in the Shuckburgh Arms car park, and take the path heading south, over a stile across the playing field, and follow it up the side of the hill to the eastern edge of Short Wood, At the entrance to Short Wood, turn left along a track across recently acquired conservation land, to a metal gate which exits onto the road just to the left of the water tower
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Dodhaws Between Short Wood and Southwick Wood the Wildlife Trust has purchased an area of former arable land, now called Dodhaws Wood. This area will be allowed to regenerate naturally to woodland with tree and other seed brought there by birds and wind. Southwick Wood Much of this ancient woodland site was replanted to replace elm trees felled in the late 1960s due to Dutch elm disease. It now contains a mix of oak, ash, field maple and hazel. The developing woodland provides cover for a range of visiting bird species including willow warbler, woodcock and tawny owl. An audio trail of a walk through this wood is available from www.wildlifebcnp.org/ podcasts.htm along with a more detailed map. Short Wood is one of the remaining fragments of the ancient Rockingham Forest – a Medieval hunting forest – the site features areas of elm coppice and mixed coppice with large oak and ash trees. In spring a carpet of bluebells and dog’s mercury covers much of the wood. Primrose, wood speedwell and wood melick are also abundant.
SOUTHWICK
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(Primrose way, for example) Eventually you will come out at the east end of the wood (Point 2), turn left and re-trace your steps back down to Southwick.
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SOUTHWICK WOOD
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2 Water Tower
SHORT WOOD
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STAMFORD LIVING June 2011
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