Britain’s Beautiful Hidden Woodlands Are Packed With Secrets

Fantastic forests

From Robin Hood's fabled Sherwood Forest to Harry Potter's escapades in the Forest of Dean, the UK's best stories have been intertwined with its ethereal landscapes for centuries. In the new novel by British author (and passionate dendrophile) Beth Lewis, Children of the Sun, it is the country's secret woodlands that provide the main inspiration. To celebrate the book's publication, loveEXPLORING spoke to Beth about her favourite hidden forests across the UK. In a country where woodlands account for 13% of the total land area, it's amazing how many remain unknown to most…

Trebarwith Valley, Cornwall, England

Growing up next door to the Trebarwith Valley, complete with its forest glens and waterfalls, Beth’s love affair with woodlands first began here. She says: “Trebarwith is a magical area of the county, a stone’s throw from the beach and one of the many hidden woodlands in valleys all over north Cornwall.” The broadleaf woodland carpeting the valley floor is part of the Trebarwith Nature Reserve, which has a historic path crossing through it believed to date back to post-medieval times.

Trebarwith Valley, Cornwall, England

At Trebarwith, a trail runs up past an idyllic picnic spot beside a stream and into the wooded valley, replete with bluebells and other wildflowers in the spring. Continuing along the way, walkers will see remnants of Cornwall’s mining past and the iconic Prince of Wales Engine House, as well as stunning views of the wild Cornish coast.

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Warburg Nature Reserve, Oxfordshire, England

High in the hills of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this nature reserve is best-known by locals who come to enjoy the array of wildlife. Warburg is covered by grassland at the bottom of the valley it sits in, while thick wooded hills rise on either side. It is an orchid wood, says Beth, with more species and a greater abundance of wild orchids than anywhere else in the three surrounding counties. Summer is the best time to see the fly and bird’s-nest orchids in bloom here.

Warburg Nature Reserve, Oxfordshire, England

Summer is also when wild herbs like thyme and marjoram wake up at Warburg Nature Reserve, while spring welcomes bluebells and wood anemones. Impressive in every season, Warburg's autumns ring in incredible colour changes among the canopy and, in winter, the reserve’s own microclimate flexes its force, with significant overnight cold snaps. Nature lovers of all ages can visit the reserve’s bird hides, with a fun (and free) Nature Detectives Trail designed especially for kids.

Box Hill, Surrey, England

Named for the box trees that grow on its western slope, Box Hill in Surrey’s North Downs has an incredibly steep – yet rewarding – incline that leads to wonderful sweeping views across the countryside. It’s a National Trust site hugely popular with walkers, cyclists and adventurous families who come here to escape London and immerse themselves in nature.

Box Hill, Surrey, England

One of the biggest draws of Box Hill is its landmark stepping stones, which have their own walking trail you can follow over the River Mole and past an old fort which once served as a defence for the capital city. There are so many other varied walks here too, including the signature eight-mile (12.9km) circular hike and the ‘Happy Valley’ route, which cuts through some of Box Hill’s prettiest woodland.

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Manesty Park and Brandelhow Park, Cumbria, England

On the shores of Derwentwater, in England’s endlessly delightful Lake District National Park, lie two gorgeous patches of woodland stacked one on top of the other. In contrast to the farmland and bare slopes around them, Beth sees these forests as true havens of calm – where trees push up against rocky beaches; their low branches touching the water. The woodlands are connected by the Cumbrian Way, a walking trail that intersects Manesty Park and then meanders along Derwentwater’s edge into Brandelhow Park.

Manesty Park and Brandelhow Park, Cumbria, England

Brandelhow Park was the very first tract of land to be bought by the National Trust in the Lake District, purchased in 1904 to prevent a large housing development. It’s where you’ll find this soulful sculpture, Entrust, which was fashioned from reclaimed greenheart timber by John Merrill. It depicts a pair of cupped hands and was commissioned to mark Brandelhow’s centenary.

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Conic Hill, Stirling, Scotland

“At the base of Conic Hill on the east side of Loch Lomond, there is a patch of dense, dark woodland that feels transplanted from Canada,” Beth describes. “It’s damp and boreal and smells of wood rot and moss – a small slice of wilderness and a place to get off the trail.” Looming behind the lochside village of Balmaha, Conic Hill lies along the Highland Boundary Fault, where the landscape bears the scars of a continental collision.

Conic Hill, Stirling, Scotland

Visitors can access the enchanting woods by following the West Highland Way from either Balmaha or Drymen. The trees soon clear and give away to sweeping views of the loch, so pause a while to soak up their otherworldly majesty. Continue up to Conic Hill’s summit for more astonishing vistas over Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, with its great swathes of forest and island-dotted waters.

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Kingley Vale, West Sussex, England

Kingley Vale in England’s South Downs National Park is predominantly an ancient yew forest – full of gnarly and tangled trees, hidden trails and the ominously named Devil’s Humps (Bronze Age burial mounds). Druids are said to have worshipped here and Vikings battled, with some trees believed to be so old that they could have witnessed the Roman conquest of Britain circa AD 43. There is even a 'grandfather tree', whose roots have spawned two new generations of trees.

Kingley Vale, West Sussex, England

It isn’t just history buffs and naturalists like Beth that love coming to this time-worn woodland. Green woodpeckers, red kites, nightingales, buzzards and butterflies have all been known to haunt the hallowed overstory. Kingley Vale was designated one of the UK’s first National Nature Reserves in 1952 and is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation. 

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Cardinham Woods, Cornwall, England

Beth has always been inspired by her love of the great outdoors, and another favourite from her home county of Cornwall is Cardinham Woods. Nestled in a steep valley, a stream runs through the centre of the forest, making it the stuff of story books. While Cardinham isn’t exactly a secret – there are themed adventure trails and mountain bike paths – there are still hidden spots to be found, says Beth.

Cardinham Woods, Cornwall, England

Just off the main paths, there are secret glades and quiet viewpoints to discover. It’s a wildlife hotspot too, Beth tells us: “I’ve seen buzzards, deer and my first kingfisher in those woods.” Open 364 days of the year, Cardinham Woods promises a wonderful day out in lush, cool woodland.

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Shotover Country Park, Oxfordshire, England

This is Beth’s favourite place in Oxford, where she now lives. A forested valley full of age-old deciduous woods, secluded places and varied habitats on the edge of the historic university city, Shotover is her go-to location for a Sunday stroll and a Gruffalo hunt with her daughter. “It turns Narnian in the winter,” Beth says. “The slopes of the meadow turn white with frost and the whole valley takes on a magical air.”

Shotover Country Park, Oxfordshire, England

Shotover Country Park spans 117 hectares on the southern slopes of its namesake hill and is a nationally important site for wildlife, which has been known to lie low to avoid encounters with overly-friendly passing dogs. The park was once part of a royal forest and functioned as a hunting ground for nobility, among other uses. These days, visitors can embark on three waymarked trails through the park, hunt for hidden treasures using geocaching software or even ride their horse (if they have one).

Ashtead Common, Surrey, England

Ashtead Common is a little-known spot that, once entered, feels like you’ve stepped into a forgotten land. It’s surprisingly located, just over the border between southwest London and the neighbouring county of Surrey, offering a peaceful retreat from urban life. This compact piece of woodland is where Beth used to come with her family on “a weekend ramble to get away from the bigger and busier parks like Richmond and Wimbledon Common”. There are ancient earthworks here, as well as the remains of a Roman villa.

Ashtead Common, Surrey, England

Populated with numerous veteran oaks – over one thousand of them, to be exact, Ashtead Common is of international significance where its trees are concerned. But without the touristic trappings of larger nature reserves, such as cafés and children’s play areas, Ashtead has remained a relative secret to anyone other than locals.

Norsey Wood Local Nature Reserve, Essex, England

A beautiful woodland of ancient chestnuts, hornbeams and oaks, Norsey Wood is a designated monument and Site of Special Scientific Interest with around 400 years of known history – although relics have been discovered that date it back much further. Its multi-period archaeological site comprises a Bronze Age bowl barrow, Iron Age and Roman cemeteries, a medieval deer bank and more. Its fascinating history and extensive wildlife make it a great place for local residents and out-of-town visitors alike to lose themselves for a few hours.

Norsey Wood Local Nature Reserve, Essex, England

The terrain of Norsey Wood is hilly, undulating with ancient paths that date back several centuries. Today, the wood is committed to preserving its biodiversity and provides important homes to vulnerable species like dormice and pipistrelle bats. Bees, birds and butterflies also thrive.

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Davidstow Woods, Cornwall, England

Davidstow Woods is a small, man-made coniferous forest beside an abandoned airfield. Beth tells us this is where most teenagers in North Cornwall – herself included – first learn to drive. “The woodland is an imposing stand of blue-black conifers,” she describes. “Inside, it's a grid of straight-trunked trees, all the more eerie and uncanny for being so neat.”

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Davidstow Woods, Cornwall, England

The forest is well appointed for walks on and around the unearthly expanse of Bodmin Moor, with its equally-eerily named sites like Crowdy Reservoir and Showery Tor. While walking trails through Davidstow Woods aren’t waymarked, this makes them all the more appealing to those with intrepid minds like Beth. Be sure to look out for wild horses as you go.

Wistman’s Wood, Devon, England

Beth believes Wistman’s Wood is somewhere everyone should see at least once. Located within Dartmoor National Park in Devon – one of England's last true wildernesses – it's one of the reasons why Dartmoor was designated a Special Area of Conservation. This remote, high-altitude oak forest holds short trees that have developed twisted trunks; their branches lying on rocks or the ground. These branches and surrounding boulders are draped in thick coverings of lichen and moss, giving the whole place an eerie, fairy-tale quality.

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Wistman’s Wood, Devon, England

Nestled in the valley of the River Dart, from Wistman's Wood you can enjoy unrivalled and unique views over Devon's rugged terrain. Children of the Sun is the latest novel by four-time author Beth Lewis, which follows the story of a secretive woodland cult. It is published by Hodder and is on sale now. 

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