How to find the reserveOS Sheet 153 Grid Reference TL 184 698

Leave the A14 at exit 22 (Brampton), one-mile east ofthe A14/A1 junction. Take the Brampton exit (B1514)at the first roundabout. At next mini-roundabout turnright into Grove Lane, then after 100 m turn rightagain at the T junction. Follow this road through thevillage, over the A1, towards Grafham village. Thereserve is on the north side of the road 1.5 miles outof Brampton. A brown sign shows the entrance. Parkin the small car park.

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

If you would like more information about thisreserve, other reserves in Cambridgeshire or abouthow you can support us, please contact: The Wildlife Trust, The Manor House, Broad Street,Great Cambourne, Cambridge CB23 6DH ortelephone 01954 713500.E-mail: cambridgeshire@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

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Welcome to

Brampton WoodWelcome to

Brampton Wood

Welcome to Brampton Wood Brampton Wood is one of the best examples ofancient woodland in the area.At 327 acres,it is thesecond largest wood in Cambridgeshire.Many rareand unusual plants grow in Brampton Wood becauseof its great variety of habitats.The soil is chalkyboulder clay – this suits lime-loving plants,howeverin places it is acid enough for bracken.The wood isbisected by a stream,which runs through the woodin a south-eastly direction.The trees are mainly oak,ash and field maple with an understorey of hazel,hawthorn and blackthorn.

Early spring sees primroses bloom on the rides, ingrassy glades and under the dense tangle ofhoneysuckle that twines through the trees and scrub.Bluebells abound in the wood’s north-east corner. Thewide, grassy rides, which run through the wood, areone of the most important features. It is here that youcan find the greatest variety of fauna and flora.

HistoryThe first records of Brampton Wood date back to theDomesday Book of 1086 AD. A large earth bankmarks the wood’s ancient boundary. The bank andditch barrier was built in the Middle Ages to protectthe wood from invading cattle and to keep pasture

animals inside. There areseveral other minor banksand ditches in the wood,which probably drainedthe prehistoric fieldsystems.

The first map of thewood, drawn for theEarl of Sandwich in 1757,shows that the wood’sshape then was much thesame as it today. Threeprincipal rides are illustrated –Main Ride, Cross Ride and West Ride;these rides are probably much older than the mapindicates. Rides are the roads on which timber, woodand charcoal were removed from the wood. Those inBrampton Wood are unusually wide, as shown by thedrainage ditches on either side.

For centuries many of the trees, especially hazel,were coppiced – cut down at the base, allowed to re-grow and harvested again on a rotational cycle.Before 1832 the wood provided timber, hay andunderwood, such as hazel poles, and grazing forlivestock. During the 1860s bark stripped from thelarge oaks became an important product in thetanning industry. After 1900, probably during the FirstWorld War, virtually the entire wood was clear felled.Since then most of the woodland has regeneratednaturally by growth from old stumps and seeds. Thesite’s national importance was recognised in 1954when it was declared a Site of Special ScientificInterest (SSSI).

In the 1950s the Forestry Commission purchasedBrampton Wood. About a fifth was replaced withplantations of Scots pine, Corsican pine and Norwayspruce. The Ministry of Defence bought the wood in

the 1960s, primarily as a safety zone for theirGrafham firing range. After the range’s closure, theMOD decided to sell the wood. In 1992 the WildlifeTrust launched a public appeal to conserve thismagnificent area. Fortunately the appeal wassuccessful and the Wildlife Trust began to manage thewoodland and the rides for wildlife.

WildlifeThere is an exceptional variety of habitats inBrampton Wood, ranging from ancient woodland,conifer plantations and wide, grassy rides to pondsand streams.

FFlloorraaAbout 280 species of fern,conifer, flowering plant andtree have been recorded inthe wood. Plants associatedwith ancient woodlandinclude dog’s mercury,bluebell, woodanemone, yellowarchangel, primrose,wood sedge and violets.The yews, wild cherriesand the wild servicetrees along the Main Ridewere artificially planted. Themagnificent wild pears on the western edge of thewood are two of the best specimens inCambridgeshire. The wood has a good number of oldoak trees, including the iconic ‘Major Oaks’ at thebeginning of Main Ride. The rides stretch for nearlytwo miles and along them you’ll find importantplants such as meadow grasses, cowslip, devil’s-bitscabious, water-purslane, wood spurge, false oxlip,creeping buttercup and both hairy and trailing StJohn’s wort.

We are returning thedeciduous woodlandalongside the rideedges to a coppicecycle to improvethe area forinvertebrates andbirds. Coppicing hasmany advantages forwildflowers, such as the bluebell, and produces agreater age range of trees and shrubs.

Muntjac deer radically change the ground flora byovergrazing. They can also severely damagecoppice plots that are not securely fenced.Therefore it is crucial that we monitor and controlmuntjac numbers.

It is important to keep the ponds open so that lightcan penetrate and allow the water plants to grow.We mow the area around the ponds and removeencroaching scrub. We monitor the newtpopulations regularly.

The Wildlife Trust reserves team,aided by a volunteer wardenand local volunteers, carry outall these management tasksand maintain the paths,bridges, fences, hedgesand car park, and collectlitter. We always welcomeextra help. If you areinterested in helpingto conserve thewildlife in BramptonWood, please do nothesitate to contact the Trustor volunteer warden.

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Over 500 species of fungi exist in the wood. Autumn isthe best time to find many of them, but there are somefungi fruiting at all times of the year. Do not eat anymushrooms or toadstools you find – some arepoisonous and many inedible, despite attractive namessuch as ‘plums and custard’. Look out for false deathcap, trooping funnel, common bonnet, sulphur tuft,birch polypore and King Alfred’s cakes.

FFaauunnaaThe black hairstreak, one of Britain’s rarest butterflies,has several colonies in the wood; this makes BramptonWood one of the best UK sites to see this attractiveinsect. Black hairstreaks rely on blackthorn for food andshelter and we carefully manage areas of this shrub toprovide ideal habitat. Purple and white letter

hairstreaks, brown argus andwhite admirals join the

list of unusualbutterflies that youfind regularly. Theconifers provide

habitat for the pinebeauty and the pine

hawk moth. Over 700different moth species have

been recorded in the wood.

In 1992 English Nature re-introduceddormice to Brampton Wood. The population is thrivingand has expanded to most areas of the wood. Thismainly nocturnal, canopy-loving creature is incrediblydifficult to see. Brampton Wood isideal for dormice because it is alarge wood; the dormice are ableto increase their numbers andstill live at low populationdensities. The wood also containsample food sources for theseanimals, such as hazel,bramble, and a good variety offlowers and insects.

Look out for great spottedwoodpeckers, greenwoodpeckers, sparrowhawksand buzzards. Goldcrests nestin the conifer plantations.

There are a number of smallponds in the wood wherefrogs and toads, smooth andgreat-crested newt live. Theponds are also habitats fordragonflies and water insects.

The larvae of several beetlespecies rely on dead wood,including the rare Anaglyptusmysticus – a longhorn beetle andRed Data Book species. The adult beetles feed onwildflowers along the rides. In early summer femaleglow worms light up after dark.

Badgers and foxes live in the wood, as well as otheranimal species (which can often cause damage) suchas grey squirrels, rabbits and muntjac deer.

ManagementWe manage the rides by cutting annually alternatesides to encourage the diversity of wildflowers. Weregularly cut back encroaching trees at the ride edgesto prevent too much shade. Our aim is to restore therides’ grassland flora to its original extent of 1757.Left unmanaged the rides would become overgrownand lose their wealth of diversity.

Some moths and fungi are found only wherethe conifers grow. We will leave some of

the conifer plantations, but will thin outother areas to allow a wider variety ofwildlife to thrive.

Cross Ride

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West Ride

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Luckily these two oaks survived the 20th centurywartime tree clearances – probably becausethey are near the wood’s entrance. They haveseveral fitting names: ‘The Master Oaks’, ‘TheMajor Oaks’ and ‘The Sentinel Oaks’.

CChheerrrriieess aanndd cchheeqquueerrssA previous owner planted this group of wildcherry and wild service trees. Normally the wildservice tree is rare and found only in ancientwoodland. The bark of the mature tree has achequered pattern, hence its alternative nameof chequer tree. The brown berries, which youcan see in autumn, were once used to make afermented drink – maybe that’s why so manypubs are called ‘The Chequers’?

YYeeww ttrreeeessYews are native trees, but the ones you seehere were planted many years ago. More oftenseen in churchyards to ward off witches, thesetrees are among the oldest in the wood.

PPoonnddssThe smaller pond was probably dug as awatering hole for animals. The larger pond wasdug when a nearby butt was created for a firingrange at the beginning of the 20th century. Lookout for amphibians and a variety of water plantsand insects.

TThhee ccrroossssWe have removed conifer trees in this area andare restoring the clearing to become wide,sunny, grassy rides. This will encouragewildflowers and insects.

TThhee wwiilldd ppeeaarrssTwo old, but still magnificent, wild pear treesgrow here along the edge of the wood. Theystill fruit occasionally, although the pears aresmall and hard. These are two of the bestexamples of this rare tree in Cambridgeshire.

TThhee ccrroossssrrooaaddssThis is the main crossroads in the wood – at thejunction of Main and Cross Rides. From hereyou have an excellent view of the rides and cansee the land rising to the north and east. A crabapple tree is nearby; one of several goodexamples of Britain’s only native apple tree.

BBlluueebbeellllssIn spring this is the best place to see awonderful display of our most popular nativewoodland flower. They make a beautiful bluecarpet beneath the old coppice hazel.

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