Langholme Wood
Parish: Haxey
OS: 112 • GR: SK 751978 • Map ref: 29
11.30 hectares (27.90acres) • Freehold 1958
Habitat type: Woodland
Location and Access
The wood is situated to the south-west of Haxey, on the west side of Langholme Lane. Turn west off the Misterton-Haxey road (A161) at the Nottinghamshire/North Lincolnshire border. After 1 km (0.6 miles) turn right onto a track that runs along the eastern edge of the reserve. There is space for cars near the main gate at the north-east corner. Visitors are requested to keep to the waymarked route.
Description and Management
Langholme Wood is a birch/oak woodland on Coversands with open heathland areas. The woodland has developed on abandoned farmland and heath during the past 60-70 years. It shows succession from open heathland to birch scrub and birch/oak woodland. The understorey is mainly elder and hawthorn with bramble and stands of gorse and broom. There is a ground cover of heather and wavy hair-grass in the open areas. A good variety of fungi can be found. The wood attracts many birds; 52 species have been recorded. Management of the reserve is aimed at maintaining the open heathland and improving the woodland by selective clearing and thinning of birch to increase woodland edge habitats.
Waymarked Route - 1.3 Km (0.8 miles)
Enter the reserve via the stile near the main gate and follow the waymarked route past gorse and bramble scrub. Here you may see wren, robin, long-tailed, great, blue and coal tits and a variety of finches. After about 100 m you will reach a hut. You may see redpolls here and, in the summer months, spotted flycatcher. Follow the route in a westerly direction to a glade. Then proceed through young silver birch and enter an area of open heathland with heather and various mosses. Leaving the open area, follow the path through the birch and oak trees. Look out for green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, jay and treecreeper.
Continue on the path across the western edge of the reserve. Turn left along the edge of the plantation. In 1983/84 the sycamore trees in this area were cleared and replanted with native trees - mainly oak, ash, beech, gean, rowan, Scots pine and field maple. On reaching the eastern end of the plantation after about 50m turn right and there is another area of young trees to your left, which attracts many small birds. In the summer warblers, such as willow warbler, chiffchaff, whitethroat, blackcap and garden warbler, can be seen or heard.
Follow the path at the eastern edge of the plantation until the path turns sharply left. After 200m the path turns sharply right between two large oaks. Follow the path for about 200 m and then turn left where you will see coppiced willow to your left. The path follows this southern part of the reserve through willow and birch. After passing an area of bracken on the right the original path will be joined some 20m from the reserve entrance.
Supported by the
Heritage Lottery Fund
