Stapleford Woods facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stapleford Woods |
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Stapleford Woods
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| Map | |
 Location in Lincolnshire
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| Geography | |
| Location | Lincolnshire, East Midlands, England |
| Coordinates | 53°05′57″N 0°42′54″W / 53.099217°N 0.714969°W |
| Administration | |
| Status | Working forest, accessible to visitors via marked woodland paths |
| Established | pre-1600s |
| Governing body | Forestry Commission |
| Ecology | |
| Forest cover | 750 acres (300 ha) |
| Dominant tree species | Scots pine, Corsican pine, Silver Birch, Rhododendrons |
Stapleford Woods is a special area of ancient woodland and forest in Stapleford, Lincolnshire, England. It's so old that it's called "ancient woodland"! The edge of these woods also marks the border between Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire counties.
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History of Stapleford Woods
In the past, these woods belonged to Trinity College, Cambridge. The whole area, which is about 750 acres (300 ha) (that's like 568 football fields!), was completely cut down at the start of World War I. This was done to provide wood for local factories.
The woods were left empty between World War I and World War II. During World War II, the British Army used the land as a camp and for training.
In 1943, a special air force group, No. 239 Squadron RAF, moved to train as night fighter pilots. They flew De Havilland Mosquito planes. On October 27, 1944, during a training flight, a Mosquito plane crashed in the woods. Sadly, both the pilot and the flight engineer died.
After the war ended in 1945, the woods were bought by the Forestry Commission. This is a group that manages forests in the UK. In the 1950s, many new trees were planted. They mostly planted Scots and Corsican pine trees to help local industries.
Stapleford Woods Today
Today, Stapleford Woods is a working forest managed by the Forestry Commission. This means they look after the trees and land carefully. In 2004, studies showed that the wood is at least 400 years old. This makes it a special "ancient woodland".
Many people visit the woods to see the beautiful Rhododendrons. These plants were planted a long time ago, during the Victorian era. They can grow very tall, up to 7 metres (23 ft) high!
The Forestry Commission and North Kesteven council have a plan for the next 50 years. They want to help the forest grow back to its original state, with more broad-leaf trees. They cleared a 75 acres (30 ha) area, and something amazing happened! Purple flowering heather started to grow. Its seeds had been buried in the ground for over 70 years!
Fun Activities at Stapleford Woods
The Forestry Commission has a car park that makes it easy to visit the woods. From there, you can enjoy a marked circular walk. It's about .75 miles (1.21 km) long and takes about 30 to 40 minutes to walk at a relaxed speed. You can find the car park off Coddington Lane. It is clearly signposted when you drive through the woods.
The Real Badlands Film
Stapleford Woods was the main setting for a documentary film called The Real Badlands. This film came out in 2009. It was made by British filmmakers Tim Clark and Craig Ford.
The movie tells the story of a couple from Newark-on-Trent. They were tired of modern life. So, they quit their jobs, sold everything they owned, and moved into the woods.
The film was shot in the woods and in a nearby village called Kelham. This happened during the summer and winter of 2008. After the film was released, some people thought it might be a "mockumentary." This means a fake documentary that looks real. However, the filmmakers said publicly that their film was a true story.
