King's Wood and Rammamere Heath
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This beautiful woodland and heath has displays of bluebells in spring and heather in summer but also offers autumn colours and bleak beauty in winter |
This magnificent wood is part of the largest area of deciduous woodland in Bedfordshire and its history can be traced back before the 15th century. The adjoining large heath is part of the same Site of Special Scientific Interest and provides a contrast to shaded beauty of the woodland. The Trust owns and manages parts of this site which is in multi-ownership.
Straddling both the acidic sandy soils of the Greensand ridge and the chalkier influence of the boulder clay, an intriguing variety of trees and flowers can be found in the wood. From the multi-stemmed small-leaved lime and sinewy trunks of hornbeam (a wood so strong it was once used to make gear wheels) to mighty oaks and the silver birch trees, King's Wood is truly a great place to visit. Seasonal ponds are scattered throughout the wood, adding further interest to an already special place.
The drumming of woodpeckers heralds the spring, when bluebells carpet parts of the woodland floor. Primroses and discrete clumps of lily-of-the-valley can be found among them. White admiral butterflies can be seen feeding on the flowers of bramble. Bird song filters through the trees and resident nuthatches and treecreepers feed on the abundant insect life thriving in the wood during the summer months. Tree pipits may be seen and heard on the open heath, their musical song given during their controlled descent from a tree top.
Summer is also the best time to see adders basking on the sandy soils of the heath. The purple flowers of heather herald the end of summer and autumn hues start to take the place of verdant growth both in the wood and on the heath with bracken stems dying back and trees losing their leaves. Kings Wood is in multiple ownership and some of it is privately owned without public access. The parts of the wood and heath that are a nature reserve are managed jointly by the Wildlife Trust, Lafarge Aggegrates, the Greensand Trust and Central Bedfordshire Council,
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Plants: Primrose, bluebell, early-purple orchid, lily-of- the-valley, wood spurge Insects: Speckled wood butterfly Birds: Warblers, great spotted woodpecker |
Plants: Heather, bilberry, yellow pimpernel, Devil's-bit scabious Insects: White admiral and purple hairstreak butterflies Reptiles: Adder Birds: Tree pipit, woodlark |
Fungi: Woodland fungi, including fly agaric and stinkhorn |