About the reserve

Visit Holly Wood in spring to enjoy the fine display of bluebells, which includes some white-flowered ones.

They flourish in the drier areas of this woodland reserve, where sycamore is gradually being replaced with oak and other native broadleaved species. Other plants that flourish here include wood sedge, while the marshy areas of woodland in the northern part of the reserve support communities of marsh marigold and opposite leaved golden saxifrage.

Although its history is unclear, it is possible that much of the reserve may have been a gravel working - this would explain the ridges that occur in the ground, as well as the areas of marsh and the pond.

Many birds breed in the woodland, including blackcap, garden warbler and nuthatch. Badgers and foxes find refuge here too - there is one large badger sett and several fox earths.