Wappenbury Wood Nature Reserve
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Outdoors
BUGGY FRIENDLY
Yes
What it’s like
A free waymarked woodland trail with bluebells in spring and old trees worth stopping to guess the age of.
There's one main thing to do here and it's a good one: follow the waymarked trail through ancient woodland, stopping wherever the birdsong is worth pausing for. It's free to get in, which makes it an easy one to slot into a weekend without any planning. Spring is the obvious time to go, when the bluebells are out, but the trees themselves are old enough that kids can have a go at guessing which ones have been standing longest.
The paths are flat and well maintained enough that buggies and wheelchairs get on fine, which isn't always a given in a proper wood. That said, the site is upfront that some paths turn very wet and muddy when the weather's been against you, so wellies over trainers if it's rained recently.
One rule worth knowing before you set off: stick to the main paths. Shooting rights are exercised here by a third party away from the marked trails, so wandering off into the trees isn't just bad manners, it's actually not allowed. Dogs aren't permitted either, so this isn't the one if you're trying to combine a woodland walk with a dog walk.
Parking's free, either in the layby on Burnthurst Lane or the two accessible bays on Nunwood Lane by the farm. There's no booking and nothing to pay, so it works well as a spontaneous half-morning out.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- Free layby on Burnthurst Lane. 2 accessible bays on Nunwood Lane (bridleway) by the farm
- Wheelchairs
- Excellent wheelchair and buggy access on all accessible paths
- Dogs
- No dogs permitted
- No dogs allowed anywhere on the reserve
- Stay on the marked paths, some areas have shooting rights in use
- Some paths get very wet and muddy after rain, wellies help
- Accessible parking bays are on Nunwood Lane, a bridleway near the farm
Plan your visit
Is it free to visit?
Yes, there's no charge to get in and no booking needed, you just turn up.
Is it OK for a buggy or wheelchair?
The accessible paths are well maintained and the site says buggy and wheelchair access is excellent on them. Just watch that some other paths get muddy after rain.
Where do we park?
Free layby parking on Burnthurst Lane, or two accessible bays on Nunwood Lane near the farm.
Can we bring the dog?
Dogs aren't permitted at this reserve.
Can the kids run off and explore the trees?
Stick to the main waymarked paths. Shooting rights are exercised off the trails by a third party, so it's not a wander-where-you-like wood.
When's the best time to go?
Spring, for the bluebells. The ancient trees are worth a look any time of year though.
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