Cinderhill Wood Circular Walk

Protect

Kent High Weald Partnership manage this site for nature and for people so that both the local wildlife and residents can enjoy this beautiful woodland. To ensure it is protected for both, we need to carry out certain management tasks. Our biggest task here at the moment is the removal of birch, broom and bracken from the heathland section of the site. Heathlands are an incredibly difficult habitat to manage, and often require a range of techniques to help them establish and maintain themselves as a healthy system. Birch trees and broom grow quickly, and will shade out other important heathland plants if they are left unmanaged, which often leads to a reduction in the biodiversity of the area. We spend each winter focusing on this on the heathland, with path/ride and meadow management taking up the summer tasks. If you want to help, check out our volunteer page or get in touch.

Explore

Cinderhill has a real mix of habitat types. The standout habitat is the heathland, but there is also a large woodland which is made up of a mixture of ancient woodland, secondary woodland and sweet chestnut coppice. There is a lovely walk along the ghyll stream at the bottom end of the site, which takes you through a small section of hazel coppice.

Enjoy

Cinderhill wood has a great abundance of wildlife throughout the year. The woodland and heathland edges are home to a variety of Orchids such as the greater butterfly-orchid, so keep an eye out for that along the path by the stream. You can also see a variety of other flora and fauna if you are patient, including bats, badgers, foxes, woodpeckers, butterflies and a number of woodland and heathland birds. On your walk how many different species of plant and animal can you see? Why not send us your photos or put them on the Cinderhill Wood Facebook page?

Try hunting for signs of spring. Can you see any of these?

· Spring plants on the woodland floor such as wild garlic and bluebells

· Bird song and birds building nests

· Blackthorn blossom and hawthorn leaves

· Queen bees searching for nesting sites