Ten Acre Wood

Ten Acre Wood

Ten Acre Wood credit Penny Dixie

Ten Acre Wood

A century-old oak plantation over hazel coppice, providing a marvellous source of berries for birds in Hillingdon.

Location

Charville Lane
Hillingdon
UB4 8PA
A static map of Ten Acre Wood

Know before you go

Size
11 hectares
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Parking information

Parking is available in Charville Lane

Grazing animals

Cattle

Access

Either walk into the reserve via Gutteridge Wood or enter from the south at Charville Lane. The U7 bus stops in Charville Lane, while the 90 bus stops in Kingshill Avenue. Hillingdon (Piccadilly line) is the nearest station, walking via Gutterdige Wood.

There are slopes at Ten Acre Wood where the path crosses the flood-control bund. Gates and barriers excluding illegal motorcycle use mean the site is inaccessible to wheelchairs, and this is also the case on the Hillingdon Trail. The main path is well surfaced, but other parts can be muddy. Parking is available in Charville Lane.

Dogs

On a lead

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

April to July

About the reserve

An area of traditional countryside character, where ancient woodland and wildflower meadows meet. Ten Acre Wood in Hillingdon is a haven for birds as hawthorn and blackthorn grow beneath the trunks of old oaks, while meadows, marsh and a small pond add variety. The meadows range from dry to wet, and Yeading Brook runs along the western side of the woodland in the north and the eastern edge in the south.

A visit to Ten Acre Wood can form part of a day out to three adjacent nature reserves - Gutteridge Wood joins to the north and Yeading Brook Meadows is a short walk to the south.  

History of Ten Acre Wood

The woodland has largely developed from a plantation of oaks, planted in the late 19th century; much of the canopy stands over an understorey of hazel, with hawthorn, blackthorn and field maple. North, Long and Cowslip Meadows on its western fringes, blooming with meadowsweet and sneezewort, are surviving examples of old clay meadows. A dedicated volunteer group have worked tirelessly to conserve this area for more than 30 years and persuaded landowner Hillingdon Council to designate Ten Acre Wood as part of Yeading Woods Local Nature Reserve in 1990, which also includes adjacent Gutteridge Wood.  

Management of Ten Acre Wood

Coppicing at Ten Acre Wood – which was reinstated in 1983 - rejuvenates the hazel and ground flora and creates woodland glades. River improvements along Yeading Brook have reduced shading from overhanging vegetation and created a more natural river flow with brash berms, helping the river sustain more invertebrate and fish species.  

Status of Ten Acre Wood

Within a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation, Local Nature Reserve, Metropolitan Green Belt  

Volunteer with Ten Acre Wood's team

To find out about the next session contact Robert Spencer via email: rspencer@wildlondon.org.uk

Get involved at Ten Acre Wood   

Record species you've spotted at Ten Acre Wood

Contact us

Robert Spencer

Environmental designation

Local Nature Reserve (LNR)