Forests & woodlands · East Midlands
Swithland Wood and The Brand
Swithland Wood and The Brand is a 87.9 hectares (217 acres) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Woodhouse Eaves in Leicestershire. Swithland Wood is a Nature Conservation Review si
Mat Fascione — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–3 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
About
Swithland Wood and The Brand is a 87.9 hectares (217 acres) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Woodhouse Eaves in Leicestershire. Swithland Wood is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade II. The Brand is designated a Precambrian site in the Geological Conservation Review, but the dating has been changed due to the discovery of trace fossils from the succeeding Cambrian period. Swithland Wood is a public woodland in Charnwood Forest, in Leicestershire. Although close to the village of Swithland, it is almost entirely within the parish of Newtown Linford, just north of Bradgate Park and also near Woodhouse Eaves and Cropston. The wood is Leicestershire's most important ancient woodland for nature conservation. Quarries within the wood were a source of the distinctive Swithland Slate roofs found on many local buildings as well as the slate gravestones common in Leicestershire churchyards. Swithland Wood has been a public woodland since 1925, upon its acquisition by the Leicester Rotary Club, having previously been part of the estate of the manor of Groby. Since 1931 it has been managed by the Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood Trust.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
Swithland Wood and The Brand is a 87.9 hectares (217 acres) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Woodhouse Eaves in Leicestershire. Swithland Wood is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade II. The Brand is designated a Precambrian site in the Geological Conservation Review, but the dating has been changed due to the discovery of trace fossils from the succeeding Cambrian period. Swithland Wood is a public woodland in Charnwood Forest, in Leicestershire. Although close to the village of Swithland, it is almost entirely within the parish of Newtown Linford, just north of Bradgate Park and also near Woodhouse Eaves and Cropston. The wood is Leicestershire's most important ancient woodland for nature conservation. Quarries within the wood were a source of the distinctive Swithland Slate roofs found on many local buildings as well as the slate gravestones common in Leicestershire churchyards. Swithland Wood has been a public woodland since 1925, upon its acquisition by the Leicester Rotary Club, having previously been part of the estate of the manor of Groby. Since 1931 it has been managed by the Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood Trust.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Architecture
According to Natural England: "The site includes some of the best remaining examples of oak-lime and alder woodland in Leicestershire and is representative of ancient woodland on somewhat acid, loamy soils in the English Midlands." Swithland Wood has received a blend of continuity and disruption in its management that has stimulated its diversity of plant life, whilst allowing complex ecosystems to survive and develop. The disruptions include the quarries, substantial periods of felling in the 19th century, construction of a water main across the site, clearing back of rides and paths, and the arrival of countless tramping feet. Each of these has impacted on some of the trees and plants,…
Visiting
Swithland Wood is open to the public during daylight hours. There are pay and display car parks on Roecliffe Road at and on Swithland Road at . There is also access via a footpath from near the Hallgates entrance to Bradgate Park . There are several bridleways within the wood for horse-riding, and a network of marked cycle routes.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 52.7060, -1.2030
- County
- Leicestershire
- District
- Charnwood
- Parish
- Newtown Linford
- Postcode
- LE12 8TN
- Parliamentary constituency
- Mid Leicestershire
Sources
- wikipedia: Swithland Wood and The Brand (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Swithland Wood and The Brand?
- Swithland Wood and The Brand is in Leicestershire, the East Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode LE12 8TN), in the parish of Newtown Linford.
- Is Swithland Wood and The Brand free to visit?
- Yes, Swithland Wood and The Brand is free to enter.
- How do I get to Swithland Wood and The Brand?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode LE12 8TN. It sits within the Mid Leicestershire parliamentary constituency.