West Wight Woodland Walks produced by The Red Squirrel Trust. FREE Walks Guide

Transcription

1 West Wight Woodland Walks produced by The Red Squirrel Trust FREE Walks Guide

2 Foreward West Wight Woodland Walks Published by The Red Squirrel Trust. April 2011 The aims of the West Wight Landscape Partnership are to help conserve and enhance the important habitats of the Isle of Wight s western area and encourage people to explore its rich heritage. We hope this booklet will help walkers discover something new along some of these popular woodland walks and encourage everyone to become involved in the important job of monitoring the huge diversity of wildlife that can be found in them. Sue Poston Chair WWLP Acknowledgements Thank you to the funders: The West Wight Landscape Partnership And The IW Ramblers, The Hants & Wight Wildlife Trust, AONB, The Forestry Commission, The National Trust, Isle of Wight Council

3 Introduction The Red Squirrel Trust is often asked by the general public, particularly visitors, where they can go to see red squirrels and other wildlife. For locals living in other areas of Island, the West Wight seems remote and we want to encourage people to visit this part of the Island. With help from the West Wight Landscape Partnership, The Red Squirrel Trust are addressing this by producing a free guide. The walks featured in this booklet were submitted by members of the general public as being their favourite woodland walk. The Red Squirrel Trust put together the routes based on this information plus local knowledge of rights of way paths and places to see wildlife. Contributors also provided the list of species to watch out for. The West Wight is a beautiful area- it is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty- and we hope you will enjoy your walks and will want to visit the West Wight often. Some of the woods are classed as ancient, that is, they have been there for 400 years or more. Look for some of the indicator species such as Butcher s Broom, Moschatel or Dog s Mercury. If you look more closely at woodland you will see and learn a lot more than on a casual stroll, thereby achieving a deeper understanding of the fascinating woodland environment. Butcher s Broom Moschatel Dog s Mercury Spring is an especially good time to visit the woods as the early flowers such as primroses, wood anemones and daffodils are in bloom. These are followed by bluebells which are particularly magnificent at Mottistone. Where there are glades, watch for butterflies, bees and other insects. Woodland is also a rich habitat for fungi in the autumn. If you are still out as dusk approaches watch out for barn owls. If you want to extend your route you could incorporate non-wooded areas into your walks but as this booklet is about woodland walks, these are not generally indicated. Use an Ordnance Survey map if you choose to do this. All the routes were walked and found clear of obstructions or detours at the time of writing. Please observe the Countryside Code by taking your litter home with you, closing gates and keeping your dog on a lead where there is livestock. Bees on Teazle Barn Owl Red Campion 1 2

4 About Monitoring and Recording Monitoring is important so that changes can be recorded and, where ecologically sound to do so, help a species of flora or fauna that is struggling. Over the years, records show how a site has changed and the impact management - or lack of management - has had on the flora and fauna. The interaction between plants and animals, plus weather and human influence is complex so it s only by observing and recording as many species as possible that we can see and begin to understand the natural world. Your records will be kept for future generations to reference as well. Take identification books with you so that you know which species of flora or fauna you are looking at. Also take a notebook and pen so you can record them. Be as sure as you can that your identification of a species is correct before sending it in. If you are unsure, take a photograph if possible. This isn t always easy if it s an animal, so write down or draw the best description you are able to. It s also important to know where you saw the species, so give a grid reference if you can. Failing that, using public path numbers or landmarks will help pinpoint the place. There is more than one way of determining if a species of fauna is present in a wood, although sightings are obviously more satisfying. Some animals are such as woodmice and dormice are nocturnal so you are unlikely to see them. The opposite page shows how to identify signs of their presence.. By reporting species of flora and fauna you will be making a valuable contribution to conservation. Page 25 gives details of how to report your sightings. We look forward to hearing from you. Signs to look out for Red squirrels live in all the woods mentioned is this guide along with many other species of flora and fauna. If you don t actually see a squirrel or other small mammals, look for these signs of their presence: Squirrels notch the top of a hazelnut and then split it in half. Squirrels strip fircones of their scales to extract the seeds. Bankvoles take the top off of the hazel shell. Dormice nibble a neat round hole. Woodmice make an untidy hole. Watch out for stripped honeysuckle bark, as squirrels and dormice use it for their nest. Squirrel nests are called dreys and built high up in the trees. They are about 30cm in diameter and look more solid than a birds nest. 3 4

5 N West Wight Woodland Walks Diagram showing locations (Not to scale) 1.Fort Victoria Country Park page 7 Take the A3054 from Newport to Yarmouth. Look for the signpost to Fort Victoria, on your right, about half a mile after crossing the bridge. Totland 1 A Yarmouth 2 Freshwater B Ningwood B Newtown 5 A3054 Shalfleet Calbourne Lynch Lane 4 Mottistone Brighstone Shorwell 3 Newport B Mill Copse and Yarmouth/Freshwater cycle track page 9 Take the A3054 from Newport to Yarmouth and turn left along Thorley Road, B3401, just before reaching Yarmouth. 3.Walters Copse and Town Copse page 11 Take the A3054 from Newport to Shalfleet. Turn right into Town Lane just before reaching the traffic lights. Follow Town Lane to Newtown Town Hall and bear right to reach the woods. 4.Westover Plantation & Brighstone Forest page 13 Take the B3401 from Newport to Calbourne. Turn left by the Sun Inn into Lynch Lane and follow the road to find the car park at the top of the hill on the right. 5.Hamstead page 15 Take the A3054 from Newport to Shalfleet. Before reaching Ningwood, look for Hamstead Drive on a right bend. A Mottistone & Grammars Common page 17 Look for the car park near Mottistone Manor on the B Bouldnor Copse & Cranmore page 19 The start of this walk is on the A3054 before reaching Yarmouth. 5 8.Golden Hill Fort Country Park page 21 Turn off the A3054 at the Norton Green junction. Follow the unmade road past the industrial estate to the car park. 6

6 N Fort Victoria Country Park This is a linear walk through the woods. Park in the car park (Grid ref: SZ338898). Stop to look for red squirrels feeding behind the model railway exhibit before starting your walk. Walk past the fort and turn left into the wood. At the top of the path turn right and walk the length of the woods, footpath F6. Towards the end of the track there is a viewpoint where you can enjoy the views across to Hurst Castle. Stroll back through the woods and either turn left back to the car park the way you came or go straight on to the end of the woods, turn left and walk back along the road to the car park. Besides the woodland walk, there is a cafe and other attractions at Fort Victoria Country Park. Red squirrels White-letter hairstreak butterfly Wych Elm Long-tailed tits A variety of fungi Car Park F6 1. Fort Victoria,Yarmouth Managed and owned by Isle of Wight Council. Walk: 1.5 miles Fungi Long-tailed Tit 7 8

7 Mill Copse and Yarmouth/ Freshwater cycle track If you take your car, park in the pull in along Thorley Road (B3401) which is on the left side of the road coming from Yarmouth (Grid ref: SZ365894). Turn right and look for footpath (Y2) on the opposite side of the road. Cross the stile into the field and follow the footpath beside Thorley Copse and onto the old railway track, now a cycle track. When the field is very wet in the winter, take the track (Y19) where it joins Thorley Road (B3401) instead. Once on the cycletrack (Y19) walk along until you see the footpath (Y1) on the left that takes you across the field to Mill Copse. The paths take you through both broadleaved trees and conifers. There is also a hide where you can look out for waders and other birds. There is a choice once your visit to Mill Copse is finished. Either go back the way you came or walk along the cycletrack towards Freshwater, where red squirrels are often seen as you pass through the wooded areas. There are other non-wooded footpaths you can take to make a circular route or just turn around and enjoy the woods and estuary all over again as you make your way back to where you started. Red Squirrel Kingfisher Coal Tit Treecreeper Blackcap Wading birds and ducks Butterflies Red Admiral N Cycle Track Y19 Alternate Route Y1 Mill Copse Y19 Y2 Thorley Copse B3401 Pull in 2. Mill Copse and Yarmouth/Freshwater cycletrack. Mill Copse managed and owned by Wight Nature Fund Walk: 4 miles 9 10

8 Walters Copse and Town Copse Start at the gate to Walters Copse (Grid ref: SZ ) and take the track from main gate. Turn first right into butterfly glades, which is also a very good area for spring flowers. Turn left at the end of this glade and into another glade. Follow the path past the Macrocarpa (look for cones that squirrels have nibbled), then turn right and then left along the edge of the woods to join the estuary. Turn left and follow the path along the edge of the estuary. Follow track (can be wet!), crossing two small wooden footbridges. Look for Butcher s Broom by the second footbridge, which is at the end of this path. Turn left into Town Copse. Look for nibbled Hazel shells as you walk through the coppiced area. Turn left at the gate and follow the footpath CB9 to Town Lane. Turn left at the road to get back to the start. Red Squirrel Flora: Butcher s Broom, Early Purple Orchid, Wood Anemone Birds: Nightingale, Goldcrest, Chiffchaff, Cuckoo, Blackcap, Coal Tit Butterflies: Large Skipper, White Admiral, Comma Silver-washed Fritillary, Purple Hairstreak Dragonflies: Emperor Dragonfly, Southern Hawker, Beautiful Demoiselle Wood anemones 3. Walters Copse and Town Copse, Newtown Managed and owned by The National Trust Walk: 1 mile CB9 Start Town Lane Estuary N 11 12

9 Westover Plantation & Brighstone Forest Park in the National Trust car park at the top of Lynch Lane (Grid ref: SZ ) and go through the gate to the Jubilee Trail. Follow the trail until you to get to a crossroads where several paths meet. Turn right at the crossroads and follow the main chalk track (CB17) to the road. Cross the road and follow track, BS9 to the top. Turn right into BS10 and follow the path along the woodland edge back to the car park. Red Squirrel Fox Bankvole Adder Birds: Buzzard, Kestrel Butterflies: Speckled Wood 4. Westover Plantation & Brighstone Forest, Calbourne Owned by The Forestry Commission Walk: 3 miles Lynch Lane BS9 Car Park BS10 Adder CB17 Jubilee Trail Fox Kestrel N 13 14

10 Hamstead Turn off the Yarmouth Road (A3054) into Hamstead Drive. There is a footpath sign, S27, at the entrance to Hamstead Drive. Drive to the car park on the left hand side (Grid ref: SZ ). Walk along the track and cross the bridge. There are often estuary birds to see here so it s worth stopping to look. Look for a footpath on the left about a quarter of a mile after the bridge. Follow the arrows through the wood - which can be very muddy in winter - and has stiles, to a field beside the estuary. The footpath takes you along the bank to a concrete bridge. At the bridge, turn right up to the top of the field, cross the stile and pick up the footpath (S9), with more stiles, to Hamstead Road. Turn right and walk to the top where you turn right into Solent Road. Walk through the woods (S29) and past Pigeon Coo Farm. Turn right into Hamstead Drive and back to the car park. When it is very wet it may be wise to go straight up to Pigeon Coo Farm, turn left and then turn left again into Hamstead Road. Look for footpath S9 on your left and follow it straight down to the main road. Turn left and walk a short distance to Hamstead Drive and back to the car park. Red Squirrel Bankvole Birds: Little Egret, Heron, Coal Tit, Greater Spotted Woodpecker Butterflies: Comma Speckled Wood Greater Spotted Woodpecker N 5. Hamstead, Yarmouth. Walk: 2 miles Pigeon Coo Farm S29 Hamstead Road S10 S9 S9 Alternate Route Hamstead Drive Car Park S27 Yarmouth Road A

11 6. Woods of Mottistone and Grammars Common Mottistone managed and owned by The National Trust Walk: 2.75 miles N BS42 B3399 Strawberry Lane BS84 BS85 Woods of Mottistone and Grammars Common Start in the National Trust car park at Mottistone (Grid ref: SZ ) and take footpath BS43 to the Longstone and downs via the woods. Turn right at the Longstone and head for Grammars Common via BS84. Turn right when you reach the road. A short distance along the road on the left is footpath BS42 to Grammars Common. Enjoy a stroll through the conifer plantation. There is plenty of evidence of squirrels feeding here! Follow the footpath through to the main road and turn right. Walk along the main road for about half a mile to Strawberry Lane. Turn right into Strawberry Lane and past the National Trust offices to a car park and footpath BS85. Follow this track back to Mottistone woods being sure to take the left fork after crossing a short stretch of downs. Red Squirrel Birds: Chiffchaff, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Buzzard Kestrel, Yellow Hammer, Linnet, Raven Butterflies: Grayling, Small Copper, Speckled Wood Flora: Bluebells, Moschatel Longstone BS 43 Car Park Red Squirrel Speckled Wood 17 18

12 Bouldnor Copse and Cranmore Start at the bottom of the main Bouldnor Copse entrance (Grid ref: SZ ) on Yarmouth Road (A3054) and walk up the concrete road. At the top of the concrete road bear right and follow the track to the crossroads. Turn left and follow the track to the coastal path and then turn right. When you reach Cranmore, follow the Hamstead Trail, via Solent View Road, (S1) towards West Hamstead Farm. Turn right and follow the path across the field, following the hedgeline on the right. Cross the stile into the woods. Follow the winding path (S4) to Solent Road. Turn right and at the end of the road, pick up the coastal path again back into Bouldnor Copse. Take the coastal path. About halfway down the cleared area there is a grass track, which passes a pond on the right, and takes you back to the main track. Turn right and head back to the road. Red Squirrel Birds: Nightingale, Buzzard Butterflies: Large Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, White Admiral, Dragonflies: Southern Hawker, Common Darter, West Hamstead Farm S1 S4 Coastal Path Solent Road 7. Bouldnor Copse and Cranmore, Yarmouth. Bouldnor Copse Managed and owned by The Forestry Commission Walk: 3.75 miles Yarmouth Road Pond Start N Southern Hawker Buzzard 19 20

13 Golden Hill Fort Country Park Park in Golden Hill Fort car park (Grid ref: SZ ), which is on the edge of the woodland walk. Follow the footpath, F14 to Colwell, straight through the woods until you come to the end of the path and then turn left and keep going until you meet the public path F15. Turn left and look for a right turn about 60m up the hill where the path takes you through a wooded area. As you emerge from the woods, follow the lower path through scrub and trees. Turn left when you see the benches. There is a grass and scrub area here which is good for butterflies. There are also very good views across the estuary from this path. When you reach the end, turn left and follow the perimeter path until you see houses. Look for a track on the left and follow it. Turn down this track and then turn right at the end of the path and go through a gate to get back to the car park. Red Squirrel Butterflies: Grizzled and Dingy Skipper, White Admiral, Comma, Purple Hairstreak, Marbled White, Speckled Wood Birds: Common Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker Flora: Early Purple Orchid, Ferns, Common Centaury N 8. Golden Hill Fort Country Park, Freshwater. Managed and owned by the Isle of Wight Council. Walk: 1 mile Car park F14 Benches F15 Green Woodpecker Fern 21 22

14 Monitoring reports Report all squirrel sightings to: Wight Squirrel Project Either fill in the sightings form on the website: Questions on form: Date of sighting Your name Location sighted Grid Habitat Species How many sighted Age Health Running Eating Dead in/on Death Comments General Comments OR Ring or post to: Wight Squirrel Project, PO Box 33, Ryde, IOW, PO33 1BH The Isle of Wight Council has offered to collect all other sightings and distribute them to the various organisations. By following the link you can download a recording card and it to them: About The Red Squirrel Trust Charity No: The Red Squirrel Trust was founded in 2005 to educate the public about red squirrels, their habitat and the species that share it with them. Trustees Chair/President: Miss Helen Butler Secretary: Mrs Jessie Booth Treasurer: Mrs Dorothy Hughes Legal Advisor: Mr John Gurney-Champion Education Advisor: Mrs Vivien Hoyle Fundraising: Mr Simon Craddock Patron: Mr Geoffrey Hughes Honorary patrons: Mr Chris Packham & Mr Shaw Taylor IW Council recording card 23

15 The Countryside Code Be safe, plan ahead and follow any signs. Even when going out locally, it's best to get the latest information about where and when you can go. For example, your rights to go onto some areas of open land may be restricted while work is carried out, for safety reasons, or during breeding seasons. Follow advice and local signs, and be prepared for the unexpected. Please respect the working life of the countryside, as our actions can affect people's livelihoods, our heritage, and the safety and welfare of animals and ourselves. Protect plants and animals and take your litter home. Leave gates and property as you find them. We have a responsibility to protect our countryside now and for future generations, so make sure you don't harm animals, birds, plants or trees. Keep dogs under close control. The countryside is a great place to exercise dogs, but it s every owner s duty to make sure their dog is not a danger or nuisance to farm animals, wildlife or other people. The West Wight Landscape Partnership and The Red Squirrel Trust hope you enjoy your walks