Old Park Wood facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Greater London |
|---|---|
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 16.7 hectares |
| Notification | 1984 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Old Park Wood is a special place in Harefield, which is in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It covers about 16.7 hectares (that's about 41 acres). This area is so important that it's called a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's protected because of its amazing plants, animals, or geology.
A part of Old Park Wood, about 8 hectares (20 acres), is also a nature reserve. This part is looked after by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. They help protect the wildlife and plants there.
Contents
A Glimpse into History
Old Park Wood is an ancient woodland. This means it has been a forest for a very long time, possibly since the year 1600. Some parts of it might even date back to the time of the Domesday Book in 1086!
This wood used to be part of a larger area called Harefield Park. There was a big house there in the 1700s. Later, Harefield Hospital was built on that same spot.
Amazing Plants and Flowers
Old Park Wood is mostly covered in trees and has many hills. It's known for having some of the most diverse plant life among ancient woods in London.
Springtime Blooms
The best time to visit is in spring. The ground becomes a beautiful carpet of bluebells. You can also see other lovely flowers like yellow archangel, lesser celandine, and wood anemone. There's even a rare plant called coral root bittercress (Cardamine bulbifera) that grows here.
Trees and Stream Plants
The wood has different types of soil and plants because of its small valleys. The main trees you'll find are oak, birch, hornbeam, and ash.
Along the small streams, you might spot golden saxifrage and marsh marigolds. These plants love wet places!
Wildlife in the Wood
Old Park Wood is a great home for many animals.
Insects and Birds
There's a pond in the wood that is very important for insects. Many different dragonfly species live there, along with other small creatures called invertebrates.
The wood is also a good place for birds. You might see a nuthatch, which is a small bird that climbs down trees headfirst. All three types of British woodpeckers also live here, tapping on trees to find food.
Visiting Old Park Wood
Old Park Wood is located behind Harefield Hospital. You can't enter directly from the hospital.
Footpaths and Access
There's a footpath that runs along the hospital's fence, starting from Hill End Road. This path leads to the nature reserve part of the wood. However, sometimes this path might be closed because of a disagreement about who owns the right to use it.
Another footpath connects Summerhouse Lane and Hill End Road. This path goes through the SSSI, just outside the nature reserve. The London Loop, a long walking trail around London, also follows this footpath.
