Worcester Woods Country Park

With a hundred acres (about ten football pitches) of ancient Oak woodland on your doorstep, perhaps a stroll through the Bluebells or to listen to the woodland birds is just what you need to get away from the bustle of the city.  Or maybe you would prefer to wander through romantic wildflower meadows, alive with bees and butterflies feeding on the sweet nectar in early summer. Or perhaps you just want some wide open space to let off steam, fly a kite, kick a ball or exercise the dog.

Worcester Woods is a popular place just to bring the children to play and catch up with friends and a cup of tea from the café. If you want to venture further afield but are not sure where to start, there are two waymarked walks  that help you explore the woods and the meadows. Both are fairly flat, with benches to rest at and no stiles, so you can relax and enjoy the wildlife at your own pace. The woodland walk in particular has a good firm surface even after heavy rain and is accessible for most wheelchair users.

Nunnery Wood was owned by St Wulstans hospital, under the auspices of the Bishop of Worcester, hence it’s name. The wood with its adjoining meadows, together with Nunnery farm, was run by a small order of local nuns, known by the name White Ladies. The White Ladies of Nunnery were of an austere Cistercian order who wore white robes and black scapulas. In 1545 during Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries, the bishop's land was broken up and Nunnery Wood became an endowment to Christ Church College, Oxford, who still own the deeds of the wood today.

Ancient Oaks, Wild Service Trees, Aspen, Hazel, Crab Apple, Pear and Yew trees can all be found in Nunnery Wood, an indication of its ancient standing. The ancient Oak on the edge of the woods is well over 500 years old. It has been left to mark the boundary of the wood. Birds like Jays, Nuthatches, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, tits and Blackbirds can all be seen in the woods, or gathering round the feeders hung by the Countryside Centre. Spring is the best time for wild flowers in the woods, before the leaves come out on the trees and create too much shade underneath. Pretty white Wood Anemone and yellow Lesser Celandine are two of the first to appear, followed by swathes of aromatic Bluebells. Along the lighter edges Red Campion and Buttercups spring up.

Even in winter the woods are full of life. Birds find food in the seeds and fruits, and may be easier to see with the bare trees. Winter is also the time when the sites officers are working in the woods.

Coppicing is a traditional method of management that allows different ages and heights of trees, each of which provides food and shelter for a variety of insects, birds and mammals. Sunny glades provide light and warmth for a variety of insects and woodland flowers. Trees with especially dense thickets underneath provide homes for and food for countless insects, birds and mammals.  Coppicing also produces wood that a craftsman can use without killing the tree. The practice was resumed in Nunnery Wood in the 1980's.

The woodland pond was dug out many years ago by local people wanting the clay soil or marl to fertilise their fields.  The hole in the ground, or marl pit, that was left filled up naturally with rainwater held by the waterproof clay soil underneath. The water attracts a wide variety of wildlife. Yellow Flag Iris, dragonflies, frogs, Great-Crested Newts, and many other plants and insects thrive in and around the water. Woodland birds and animals drink and bathe in the pond.

Hornhill Meadows have been meadows since Medieval times, and have escaped modern farming practice, proof of which you can see in the ridge and furrow lines still in the fields. This makes them particularly valuable for their wild flowers including Red Clover, Black Knapweed, Ox-Eye Daisy and Yellowrattle, aptly named for the seedpods that rattle inside the flowers. They are a good indication that the ground has been undisturbed and managed in traditional ways for a very long time. These meadows attract butterflies like Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Small Copper and Gatekeeper.

The meadows are mown later than modern hay crops to allow flowers to spread their seeds for next year. They are also lightly grazed some winters, most recently by rare breeds Gloucester cattle, to help remove nutrients and keep the grasses from taking over. Look too for the fruit of the old pear trees in the hedges, a traditional symbol of Worcestershire.

An area of orchard has recently been restored. They are the remains of Horn Hill Farm, dating back to the early 19th century. The farm buildings are no longer around, but the orchards are important historic features in Worcestershire. They may contain rare old varieties of fruit tree, and the old trees provide havens for many types of wildlife. The orchard here contains apples, cherries, pears and plums, and can be seen along the Fox Trail near the meadows.

There is a regular bus service from the city centre to get to Worcester Woods Country Park, and the facilities once you are here ensure a comfortable visit, whether you are staying for half an hour or all day. With BBQ hire, a fun orienteering course, regular special events and walks, dog training classes, café with a range of gifts and cards, children's play area and so much more to do here; you'll want to return time and time again.

www.worcestershire.gov.uk/countryside