History

In 1979 Chris and Anne Yarrow bought this 2,000 year-old woodland, built their own house and a timber-frame barn that became a visitor centre as more people came to explore the 62-acre wood. They began active coppicing, introduced award-winning continuous cover forestry and established a programme of events and activities that allowed thousands of visitors to enjoy the wood throughout the seasons.

Chris and Anne retired in 2010, and their daughter Joanna and her partner Jonathan took on their legacy. They’re both specialists and passionate believers in sustainability and run the wood as a place where people can enjoy the natural world, learn more about sustainability and be inspired to live more sustainable lives.

The woodland is run as an example of rural sustainability in action, providing a range of opportunities to explore, enjoy and learn about the natural environment, combined with inspiration about a more sustainable way of life. It's now visited by well over 30,000 visitors each year; from schools, disabled and elderly groups, to corporates, families, diners and campers.

Visitors can explore our network of nature trails (including special seasonal trails with educational signs about woodland management practices) and our woodland playground, they can cook outdoors year-round on woodland BBQs or in Wild Cookout glades, enjoy local sustainably sourced food and drink in the timber-frame Barn café, or sleep under the stars in a Wild Camp. Those after a bit more comfort can glamp in our charming converter Horsebox.  A growing range of courses, workshops, and events provide opportunities for visitors to engage more actively. These include children / family parties and activities (e.g. Survive in the Wild, Castaway Adventures, Monster Hunts), courses (e.g. fungi hunts, bushcraft skills, foraging, woodland management skills) and special events (e.g. candlelit dinners with nationally acclaimed expert guest speakers, Christmas, Easter and summer festivals).