How to find the reserveOS sheet 153 Grid reference TL 242 535

Take the B1040 from Gamlingay to Waresley. Afterhalf a mile (at the brown sign), a track on your rightleads up to the nature reserve. Drive up the track andpark by the wood. You can also reach GamlingayWood along a track to the south. A permissive path isplanned to access the west of the wood fromGamlingay village (see map for details).

More informationYour local Wildlife Trust protects wildlife and thecountryside for people to enjoy in Bedfordshire,Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire andPeterborough. We are a charity dependent onvoluntary contributions.

If you would like more information on about thisreserve, other reserves in the area or to find out howyou support us or get involved, please contactThe Wildlife Trust, The Manor House, Broad Street,Great Cambourne CB23 6DH or telephone:01954 713500, email Cambridgeshire@wildlifebcnp.orgcambridgeshire@wildlifebcnp.org

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We hope you enjoy your visit.

The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshireand Peterborough. Registered charity no: 1000412Printed 75% recycled paper

www.wildlifebcnp.org

Welcome to

Gamlingay & Sugley Wood

Welcome to

Gamlingay & Sugley Wood

Welcome to Gamlingay Wood Gamlingay Wood is a fine example of ancientwoodland in Cambridgeshire.Its 48ha,and theadjacent 22ha of Sugley Wood,are home to manyrare and unusual plants,animals and fungi.With along history of use by local people for coppiceproducts,timber and more recently recreation,thewood is an important site.

Early spring sees a fine display of traditionalwoodland flowers including bluebells, oxlips andprimroses, followed by orchids, honeysuckle andpurple loosestrife in summer.Autumn brings russetleaves and fruiting mushrooms, and in winter frostcovers the skeleton trees and shrubs in glitteringcrystals.

HistoryGamlingay Wood was first recorded in the DomesdayBook in 1086, and has not changed shape much sinceSugley Wood was felled 400 years ago. The woodlandhas been used as ‘pannage’ for pigs (which fed onthe acorns) and was harvested for firewood andbuilding materials; it even supplied giant timbers forhuge mediaeval barns.

The woodland is enclosed by anearth mound or woodbank. It isdivided by a ditch that was dugwhen two separate lords of themanor owned the wood. In the20th century, the wood washarvested more widely for timberand replanted with mixture of oakand conifers.

WildlifeThere is an exceptional variety ofhabitats in Brampton Wood,ranging from ancient woodland,conifer plantations and wide,grassy rides to ponds andstreams.

FloraGamlingay Wood’s flora is veryvaried due to the different soiltypes. On the sandier soils, youwill find bracken, primroses andfoxgloves, whereas bluebells,oxlips and many other flowersgrow in the clay areas. Hundredsof species have been recorded in thewood, although some, like the butterflyorchids, do not appear every year.

The trees are mainly oak, ash and field maple. Thebushes and shrubs beneath these trees, known as theunderstorey, include plenty of hazel and hawthorn.

Hundreds of types of mushroom and toadstool growon the nature reserve. They have allsorts of stangenames, like plums and custard, the blusher, andwood woolly foot.

FaunaMany kinds of insectlive in GamlingayWood. In summeryou may see longhornbeetles, sipping nectarfrom wildflowers alongthe rides, or several of thebutterflies typical of ourwoods, such as ringlets,speckled woods and purplehairstreaks.

Lots of birds make their homes in the wood and inthe new growing woodland at Sugley. During a visitto this nature reserve you might hear or see a varietyof birds in the different habitats, from skylarks andbarn owls to buzzards and great spottedwoodpeckers.

Many mammals live in both the new wood and old,including badgers, hares, rabbits, muntjac deer, volesand mice. Although you may not be lucky and seesome, you’resure to find evidence that mammals arearound: look out for footprints in soft ground or dungin the undergrowth.

Management and woodland creationMany conifers were planted after the Second WorldWar and we are gradually removing most of them.We manage the old woodland by coppicing, andmowing the rides and glades. Some moths andfungi are found only with conifers, so we have leftsome conifers to help maintain the wood’s variety.

We rely on the help of our volunteer wardens andtheir work parties to manage Gamlingay Wood. Weare extremely grateful for all of their efforts. If you’dlike to find out how you could help us manage thiswonderful woodland, please contact us (details atthe end of this leaflet).

Rob Rippengal’s Walk Rob Rippengal was a local businessman. Heenjoyed walking in the woods and was inspired bythe Trust’s vision of expanding and joining itswoodlands. After he was killed tragically in anaccident, his friends and family felt thatsupporting the Trust’s woodlandwork was a fitting memorial.This leaflet, the informationhuts and much of themanagement work inGamlingay Wood have beensupported by his legacy. Ifyou’d like to find moreabout leaving a lastinglegacy to wildlife, pleasecontact us forconfidential advice(details at the endof this leaflet).

Purple loosestrife

Speckled wood

Oxlip

Long-horned beetle Dryad’s Saddle;

A view over the parish and the local woodlands

The view from the edge of the wood has remainedlargely unchanged for centuries. As you look out youcan see some of the other woodlands in the area. Weare working with landowners to join up these woodswith hedges and grassy strips to improve thelandscape for wildlife. On a clear day you can justmake out our Pegdson Hills nature reserve inBedfordshire.

The ring ditch and more information This circular ditch was rediscovered under theconifers when the Trust bought Gamlingay Wood, andcleared the glade you see today.The information huthas more facts about the management of the ancientwoodland and the possible origins of the ditch.Suggestions for the ditch’s use range from dwellingsto kilns, and even the site of a windmill. What do youthink?

Restored woodland It’s hard to believe that 300 tons of conifers were cutdown and removed from this part of the woodland in1999. The remaining trees and shrubs have recoveredwell. Many other areas of the wood are also beingrestored and will look this good in a few years’ time.

Treenursery

Power lines

Sugley Wood

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Waresley

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Access track

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Coniferous woodland

Coppice

Deciduous woodland

Dry grassland

Open water

Reserve path

Reserve boundary

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Deer fence

Permissive path

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Scrub

HedgerowConiferous woodland

Coppice

Deciduous woodland

Dry grassland

Open water

Reserve path

Reserve boundary

Road

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Deer fence

Permissive path

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Hedgerow

Woodbank and ancient ash coppice As you enter the reserve and walk towards the ancientash trees, you will notice the woodbank beside you. Itruns along most of the woodland boundary and wasbuilt to keep out grazing livestock. The ash coppice isestimated to be at least 450 years old; it is still growingwell. Sometimes you can see large brackets of dryad’ssaddle fungus growing on the ash trees. This fungus isalso known as pheasant’s back mushroom because ofthe pattern on the top when it is fresh.

New woodlands and new paths The information hut contains storyboards about SugleyWood, which was purchased by the Trust in 2002 and isgrowing back naturally into a wood. As you lookaround, you may notice trees beginning to grow abovethe grass. Wildflowers are starting to thrive too. Taketime to explore this new area, and come back regularlyto see how it changes.

Coppice plots This area of the wood has six plots from which hazel isharvested. Coppicing is good for wildlife, as it meansthere are always areas of young flowery vegetation. Itis good for the local community too because thecoppiced wood has many uses ranging from thatchingto bean poles. Just across the ride, there is a smallglade and pond. The clearings around some of thesurviving oak trees were created by volunteers.

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Map key

Purple hairstreak

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77 Main ride and common spotted orchids This ‘ride’ or wide grassy path is worth visiting atdifferent times of the year. It is a sunny shelteredspot with hundreds of orchids in the spring and thevibrant glow of purple loosestrife in the summer. Agreat spot to watch bats feeding on warm evenings,you may also notice a vanilla scent from thecrushed stems of sweet vernal grass as you walkalong.

Wild service tree Pause a while under the tree to enjoy the sounds ofthe wood – from chirping crickets to calling birds.Originally thought to be the only wild servicetree in the wood, we have nowfound a grove of others. Thisone is still the biggest. Inautumn the leaves of thislocally rare tree,sometimes known as‘chequers’, turn aglorious flaming-red.Why not return justbefore the leaves fallto marvel at thedisplay?

Great spottedwoodpecker