Broadmoor Wood

Broadmoor Wood by Dan Watts

Broadmoor Wood by Dan Watts

2.6ha
Dog on a lead
Volunteer Group
Ancient woodland with good woodland flowers in spring and good bird life.

Location

Redhill Lane off A38 north-west of Lydiate Ash
Rubery
Worcestershire
B45 9AD
A static map of Broadmoor Wood

Know before you go

Size
3 hectares
P

Parking information

The Rubery Leisure Centre car park may be locked at irregular times during the pandemic. To avoid having your car locked in please park in the Waseley Hills public car opposite. The reserve entrance is hidden in the trees.

Walking trails

A visit could be combined with a visit to Waseley Hills Country Park and the North Worcestershire Path.

Access

Circular path (earth) - muddy and slippery in wet conditions. Water sluice and a deep pool on the reserve.

Dogs

On a lead

When to visit

Opening times

Dawn to dusk

Best time to visit

Apr-Nov

About the reserve

The woodland is coppiced on a 10-year cycle and visitors can see how the ground flora changes as the sunlight is reduced by the new growth on the coppiced stools.  Coppicing involves cutting down trees almost to the ground; this enables new growth and ensures a constantly evolving habitat for wildlife.  The coppice standards at Broadmoor include oak, ash, birch, rowan and hawthorn.  Flowers include wood sorrel, wood anemone, bluebells and yellow archangel with tufted hair-grass along the path.

Shortly after entering the wood, a flight of steps descends to a path across a small marshy dingle (with a carpet of opposite-leaved golden saxifrage) to a narrow path that skirts an alder bog.  This is the silted-up part of the uppermost spring pool that once provided water power for the sword mills downstream.  Visitors are rewarded with a magnificent display of marsh marigolds here in early spring.  The pool is beautiful with beds of reed-mace, horsetail, watercress and other water plants, with a rich waterside flora along the dam.

The woodland is part of the National Trust’s Chadwich Estate and is leased to Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.  Most of the wood lies on Keele Clay with sandy patches while breccias forms the west bank of the pond.

Contact us

Thomas Watkins
Contact number: 01905 754919

Environmental designation

Ancient Woodland
Local Wildlife Site (LWS)

Location map