Dursley Wood

Attractive semi-natural ancient woodland set in the Cotswold Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Cotswold escarpment. There are beautiful views from all parts of the wood; the eastern side looks across to the Vale of Berkeley, while the western end overlooks the Uley Valley.

The majority of this mature wood was recently thinned to favour the best beech and ash trees. This has opened up the canopy and encouraged the natural regeneration of ash, beech and sycamore and the shrub layer containing mainly hazel, holly, field maple, hawthorn and willow. Swathes of wild garlic cover much of the lower slopes in spring. Dog's mercury and wood anemone are also common with patches of bluebells throughout. Quiet walkers frequently see roe deer, and there is a badger sett in the wood.

Access is from a track running along the foot of the slope and a fork that runs off the lower track through the middle of the wood, with gates at either end. There is an additional gated access point at the top of the hill, opposite the house and minor road turning. Sporting rights are included and there are no public or private rights of way crossing the wood.

This wood first appeared on Woodlands.co.uk

Directions

Take the A4135 road from Dursley signed to Tetbury. Just after leaving Dursley there is a steep hill known as Whiteway. The entrance is on the left at the start of the woodland. There is a new wooden gate set back from the road. It is best to park at the foot of the hill in one of the side roads and walk up to the entrance. Follow the woodland track from the entrance for approximately 200m and Dursley Wood is on the right just after the woodland track leading up to the wood.