Know before you go
Entry fee
NoParking information
Surfaced car park, 1.25 miles south of Ludgershall, 100 m before Boarstall-Wotton Underwood road. Through gate and over railway bridge.Grazing animals
YesWalking trails
Follow the 1.5 mile Wildlife Walk
Access
Paths flat, soft after rain, some roots; kissing gates, bench
Dogs
When to visit
Opening times
Open at all times.Best time to visit
All year roundAbout the reserve
Ancient woodland
Most of the trees here were felled in the late 1940s, and only a handful of mature oaks remain. Today's 'wildwood' is a mixture of ash, field maple, aspen, hazel and oak along with blackthorn, hawthorn, spindle and a few old hornbeams. The woodland is damp and tussocky with a wide variety of sedges, grasses and rushes.
Woodland flowers
In spring, the woodland has a scattering of bluebells and contains many plants that thrive in ancient wooded sites, such as wood anemone, primrose and yellow archangel.
In April and May, look out for moschatel, otherwise known as the 'townhall clock', or 'Good Friday plant'. The small yellow-green flowers are arranged in a fascinating way, at right angles to one another, like the faces of a town clock.
Butterflies abound
Rushbeds Wood is excellent for butterflies, and you are likely to see the tree canopy aflutter with the fast-flying purple hairstreak in June and July. The wood also supports some of the more uncommon butterflies such as the purple emperor and the black hairstreak. If you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the handsome silver-washed fritillary settling on bramble flowers, or even a white admiral.
Things to do
- Try our circular Wildlife Walk (1.5 miles). Just follow the badger waymarkers.
- We run regular work parties on the reserve.
Species
- Primrose
- Wood anemone
- Opposite-leaved golden saxifrage
- Yellow archangel
- Bluebell
- Green-winged orchid
- Common twayblade
- Great burnet
- Pepper saxifrage
- Oxeye daisy
- Common knapweed
- Greater butterfly-orchid
- Great spotted woodpecker
- Black hairstreak
- Purple hairstreak
- Purple emperor
- White admiral
- Silver-washed fritillary
- Marbled white
- Wood blewit
- Amethyst deceiver
- Red fox
- European badger
Contact us
Environmental designation
