Visiting the Great Wood
The main gate to Northaw Great Wood opens every day (except Christmas Day) at 8am and closes at 6pm during the summer (1st April to 31st October) and 5pm during the winter (1st November to 31st March).
The car park and toilets close promptly at these times, so please allow plenty of time to return to your vehicle to avoid being locked in for the night.
If you fancy a stroll when the gate is shut then there is parking along The Ridgeway. However, please do not obstruct our neighbours' driveways or disturb their privacy.
Organised events need prior permission from the Council - please contact us and we will forward your enquiry.
We encourage all visitors to make a donation of £1 in the 'honesty box'.
Where to walk
Click map for larger view.
There are three way-marked trails of different lengths, plus a bridleway linking the main entrance to the East entrance in Carbone Hill. Visitors are encouraged to keep to these trails and the other major paths (such as Middle Way) in order to protect the wood and its wildlife. In particular, there are some areas of the wood where the paths have been fenced off to create quiet areas favourable to the breeding of Woodcock, which is very sensitive to disturbance by humans and dogs. Please keep out of these fenced areas and keep your dogs under control.
Middle Way - this wider, open ride, with glades, encourages a greater variety of plant and animal species.
Woodland Code of Conduct
Visitors are invited to enjoy the peace and quiet of this beautiful woodland and to observe this Woodland Code of Conduct and the Byelaws.
The following activities are not allowed:
- Unauthorised bonfires
- Barbeques
- Camping
- Use of firearms
- Motorcycling
- Picking/digging up of wild plants and fungi, cutting or felling trees
- Molestation of wild creatures
- Metal Detecting
- Dumping of rubbish, including garden waste
Visitors are also kindly reminded to please:
- Keep noise to a minimum
- Keep dogs under control at all times
- Clean up after your dog, use the dog bins provided in the car parks
- Horse riders and cyclists are allowed only on marked bridleways
- Organised events need prior permission from the Council
- Observe temporary warnings or instructions placed by the Council
The Byelaws are available here.
What to look out for
Click below for information on species that might be seen:
More information about wildlife in the Great Wood will be added in due course.
