Sheringham
Woodland Trust wood
Size:
30.74 ha (75.96 acres)
Grid reference:
TG159412
Map reference:
Explorer 252
OS Landranger 133
This patchwork of broadleaf and conifer woods and heathland is teeming with wildlife. Look out for the veteran trees that date back hundreds of years, including oak, beech and sweet chestnut.
Enjoy a stroll around the sculpture trail or climb to the wood’s highest point for spectacular views over the North Norfolk Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). In spring, enjoy vibrant displays of bluebells in the glades. All are just a 15-minute walk from the seaside town of Sheringham.
Old Wood is a 30.7-hectare (76-acre) site situated south of Sheringham on the Holt Cromer ridge.
From Sheringham, travel west on the A1082 (Holway Road) and turn left onto Pretty Corner Lane. The car park is on Pretty Corner, the south-west corner of the wood.
The nearest train station is Sheringham, 1.6km (1 mile) away from the wood.
Visit National Rail for more information.
There are bus stops along the A1082 which are on several bus routes.
Visit Traveline for more information.
You can access the wood from Pretty Corner Lane or from the surrounding woodland. The site has many paths, some of which are surfaced. They are steep in places and those at the bottom of the hill can be muddy in winter.
There is a waymarked route of sculpture posts running through Old Wood and Pretty Corner Wood. Each post gives a clue about what you can find close by. The walk takes around 1.5 hours and is suitable for pushchairs.
The wood’s highest point, at 96 metres (315 feet) above sea level, is one of the highest in Norfolk, with fine views towards Sheringham and out to the North Sea.
There is a small, free car park on Pretty Corner Lane for up to four cars, plus a further car park on Holway Road.
The nearest public toilets are in the centre of Sheringham.
Fourteen butterfly species have been recorded in Old Wood, including the comma, gatekeeper and speckled wood.
If you’re very lucky you might spot the wood's reptilian inhabitants, such as adders and slow worms. The three ponds are home to freshwater fish, frogs, toads, dragonflies and damselflies.
Look out for:
The woodland areas are a mixture of coniferous plantation, planted in the early 1960s, and mature secondary woodland. Part of the site is predominantly broadleaf with a small area of under-planted conifer. Some sections in the south-western part of the wood are potentially remnant ancient woodland. Keep an eye out for bluebells that spring up in the glades of Old Wood.
Look out for:
With a mixture of heathland, acid grassland and woodland, Old Wood is a conservation project in the making. It's already home to bats, adders and slow worms and it is hoped that the area will eventually become one of North Norfolk’s key conservation habitats.
Restoration work on the heathland and open ground during the winters of 2000 and 2005 resulted in the return of typical species, including ling heather, wavy hair grass, gorse and broom.
Explore:
Old Wood lies on the Holt Cromer Ridge, a remnant of the Ice Age from 15,000 years ago. In the past, the site was dominated by heathland and acid grassland, with scattered areas of woodland. When sheep grazing declined, birch, rowan and Scots pine invaded. This resulted in the loss of heathland, which is now threatened and a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority habitat in Norfolk.
In 1997, we purchased 19 hectares (48 acres) of the site, and in 2009 a further 11 hectares (27 acres) was gifted under a long-term management agreement by Sheringham Town Council. Much of the coniferous part of Old Wood is now being restored to native, broadleaved woodland and heathland.
Visiting woods
Dogs are welcome for walkies in our woods. Take a look at our tips and guidelines for ensuring we keep our woods safe and special for dogs and wildlife.
Visiting woods
Discover events at our woods and the festivals and fairs you can find us at soon.
Visiting woods
Go on an adventure. Get closer to nature. Uncover history. Discover ways to explore the UK's woods whatever the season.
This wood is just one of many to have been protected by gifts in wills, securing it for generations to come. Your legacy gift could also make a real difference to woods, trees and wildlife.
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