Thornley Wood

What it’s like

A short, free sculpture trail through Paddock Hill Wood with around ten carved wooden animals to spot.

This one's a quick, free wander rather than a day out. A 0.8km trail loops through Paddock Hill Wood and along the way you'll find around ten wooden sculptures tucked into the trees, badgers, butterflies, otters and a Red Kite among them. It's the sort of thing that works well bolted onto another plan nearby, since most people are done in 20 to 30 minutes.

Little legs can manage it fine and spotting each carving as it appears is the actual entertainment here, no need to rush the smaller ones along. There's no entry fee and the car park on site is free too, though it only holds around 15 cars and fills up fast, so turning up early or having a plan B matters more than usual.

There's a café nearby if you fancy a drink afterwards, but this isn't a place you'll want to build a whole morning around. Think of it as the walk you do before or after something else, not the main event.

Facilities

Need to know

Parking

Free car park on site with around 15 spaces

How long to allow

20-30 minutes

• Only around 15 parking spaces, so it fills up quickly on busy days
• The trail is short at 0.8km, so it suits a quick stop rather than a full outing
• Pair it with somewhere else nearby since 20 to 30 minutes won't fill a morning

Plan your visit

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