Sidelands walk
This walk meanders through some of the estate’s plantations. There are plenty of flowers to see all year round, but especially in the spring.
A one-mile walk through the woodlands
A circular walk through grassy woodland that takes you onto field footpaths heading downhill and along two woodland footpaths before finally returning along a track. Grade of walk: Trainer (all rounder); type of walk:'Flora & Fauna', 'Beautiful Views'.
Map
Start:
Tyntesfield estate yard, grid ref: ST502717
1
Leave the estate yard by the top gate and turn right. Watch out for oncoming traffic. Cross onto the grass verge by the wood and walk along the verge leaving the woodland on your left.
Woodland ancient and modern
Tyntesfield's woodlands have been carefully managed for hundreds of years. Some trees are managed as crop and others are planted for ornamental purposes. The Farm Plantation was an open pasture until beech trees were planted in around 1880. Wraxall Hill Woods has some ancient woodland dating back to the Middle Ages, but contains some areas that were planted or replanted in the 20th century. Truckle Wood is also ancient woodland, with an old holloway running through, but beech and larch were planted in 1948 for commercial timber.
2
Turn left and continue uphill, keeping the woodland to your left. The plantation here contains Douglas fir, Sitka spruce and Corsican pine that was first planted in the late 1930s.
Names
The names of Tyntesfield's woods, ancient and modern, are part of the areas history. Abrahams or Abrams derives from Abrahams Corner, a cottage and garden taking its name from the family who lived there in the 1600s. Fowl Pens, which today incorporates the car park and can be found next to Truckle Wood, is a reminder of the estates decline in the 20th century. It refers to the poultry farm established in the 1940s which was one of numerous attempts to boost the declining income of the estate.
3
Carefully cross the roads coming in from your left and walk on up the drive until you reach a post with a waymark on it.
Biodiversity
Wraxall Hill Woods and Truckle Wood have high biodiversity value created by historic management. There are many ancient woodland indicator species - old coppiced hazels, wood avens and bluebells. The lighter woodland rides are a good place to see speckled wood and gatekeeper butterflies. If you're quiet, roe deer are sometimes seen nimbly passing through the woods. Truckle Wood has many old trees and is particularly stunning in late April when it is carpeted with bluebells. Farm Plantation is a good area for fungi such as the many zoned polypore which grows on fallen trunks.
4
Turn left and walk along the top of the field. The field is called Abrahams, which is named after a family who lived there in the 1600. Now pass through the kissing gate.
5
Turn left and head into the wood in front of you. Go through another kissing gate and follow this path until you reach a road. The plantation you are passing through has been managed for hundreds of years and contains ancient woodland. Here you can find wood avens, bluebells and old coppiced hazels.
6
At the drive, walk ahead into Truckle Wood. Follow this path through the wood until you reach a track with a field in front of you. This is another area of ancient woodland; the last major planting here was of the beech and larch in 1948. The top part of the wood is stunning in late April, when carpeted with bluebells.
7
At the track turn left and return back to the estate yard.
How you can help
We hope that you really enjoyed this one-mile walk. We look after some of the most spectacular areas of countryside for the enjoyment of all. We need your support to help us continue our work to cherish the countryside and provide access to our beautiful and refreshing landscapes. To find out more about how you too can help our work as a volunteer, member or donor please visit our homepage.
End:
Tyntesfield estate yard, grid ref: ST502717
