Buck's Valley Woods

Barton, Bucks, Keivill’s, Steart’s, Loggins and Walland woods lie in the wooded coastal fringes and adjoining valleys around the tiny village of Bucks Mills to the east of Clovelly in North Devon. Most of the woodland stands on clay/loam soils with shellat that allows free drainage although areas lying in the valley bottoms, close to the streams and around spring heads remain wet throughout the year and offer small areas of wet woodland/wet flush habitats. Many of the woodland blocks are stocked with mixed broadleaf trees, but some areas were cleared and planted with conifers in the mid 1960s. Keivill’s and Buck’s woods lie within the Hobby to Peppercombe SSSI and are important for many nationally rare species:- string of sausage, lungwort and other lichens and Devon whitebeam, as well its own importance as a sessile oak woodland growing on and above the Atlantic coastal cliffs. All are associated with low air pollution levels and coastal aspect. The other woodlands in the management unit link to these but fall outside the SSSI boundaries. As ancient woodland they are no less important and act as a large 'buffer' zone protecting the SSSI woodland and providing a continuous habitat for possible species migration. Much of ground flora is of wood rush, bilberry, ferns and bluebell with tree regeneration and coarser species prevalent in localised areas. Rhododendron and Laurel that once colonised much of the site have been cut and controlled since acquisition with any that remain due for cutting during planned management and restoration of the conifer stands. Bucks, Keivill’s and Barton woods were acquired in '76, '80, and '86 respectively and Steart’s Loggins and Walland was acquired in 1996. Lying as they do on steep valley sides and cliffs access within some of the woodland is impossible or poor, but the North Devon Coastal path and other public footpaths do pass through some of the woods and link into management tracks to give active walkers a selection of 'circular' routes. As they pass through these areas of high conservation and landscape value they offer some spectacular views of the surrounding areas and sea.• Splendid coastal and countryside views • Rich diversity of species, SSSI • Good network of paths