About the reserve

Access information for visitors

Please be aware that HS2 construction work is ongoing in the area surrounding Finemere Wood and along the access track leading to the reserve.

After parking in the designated BBOWT parking, just off the road, you will need to walk through staffed barriers along the track. During HS2 working hours, these barriers are kept closed until approached. Once at the barriers, a member of the HS2 team will open them for you, ensuring safe crossing.

Outside of HS2 working hours, the barriers are left open and can be passed through freely without any assistance.

Track entrance: intrigues.foremost.tigers
Reserve parking: food.rankings.refilled
Reserve entrance: framework.sitting.wooden

We appreciate your patience while these construction works continue.

Woodland flowers

Throughout the year, Finemere Wood has the thrilling atmosphere of a very old, wild place. Spring is particularly special when the rides are edged with primroses, and bluebells carpet the woodland floor. If you look closely, you can find wood spurge, wood anemone, early-purple orchid or greater butterfly-orchid. In the sunnier coppiced areas, lesser celandine and dog's mercury appear early, and in the summer, hairy St. John's-wort and willowherb take advantage of the clearings. An impressive 200 species of flowers have been recorded here.

Historic meadow

At the heart of the wood you will find a sheltered haven of rough pasture and thickets. Traditional grazing has encouraged the return of plants such as ragged-robin and cuckooflower in the spring and saw-wort, betony and devil's-bit scabious in the summer. In the autumn, the low sun highlights the seed heads of grasses like wood small-reed and tufted hair-grass. A good variety of bees buzz around the meadows throughout the summer. Butterflies abound - the reserve is one of the best places to spot the magnificent purple emperor. Head for the main ride in July and August. Its smaller cousin, the white admiral, thrives here as well, particularly around trailing honeysuckle leaves. A warm summer may bring an influx of silver-washed fritillaries that hunt out patches of violets for their caterpillars to feed on.

Regal history

Finemere was once used by kings and queens for hunting wild boar. Along with Rushbeds Wood and Whitecross Green nature reserves, also in Buckinghamshire, it was a part of the ancient Royal Forest of Bernwood. BBOWT is currently reviving this ancient landscape in a three-year conservation project.

Things to do

• Try our circular Wildlife Walk (1.5 miles). Just follow the badger waymarkers.
• Look out for our seasonal guided walks.