Giddings Wood

Follow the waymarked route though the woodland flanked by flowering trees and shrubs out into a much younger and less densely stocked plantation planted in 2016.

At the far end of the wood cross the concrete bridge over the Noleham Brook to gain access to the Heart of England Way long distance public footpath, and head on to neighbouring Coxmere Wood and other parts of the Forest.

How to get here

The start / finish point for this walk is Giddings Wood car park:

Address: Long Marston Road, Dorsington, CV37 8BQ
OS Grid Ref: SP 13952 48639
What3Words: ///sheds.mammal.pile

Facilities and access

This car park and woodland walking route is being provided for your enjoyment and we ask that you donate via the post in the car park or by text.

This walking route has no stiles, steps, gates or bridges.

Download the Giddings Wood walk
Giddings Wood Walk_0.pdf (880.71 KB)
Download a wider area map to show links to other walking routes
Dorsington Area Map_0.pdf (3.32 MB)
Distance:
1.5 miles
Difficulty:
Easy
Start/finish:
Giddings Wood car park
Nearest postcode:
CV37 8BQ
Terrain:
Easy going but can get muddy in winter

Begin walk

1.
1. From the car park donation post follow the waymarked route into the wood. After about 200m take the left fork.
The informational boards in Giddings Wood car park
2.
2. As you walk along this ride you might notice a holly bush on your left, so keep a look out for the red berries in the autumn and winter. At the next fork keep left.
A close up of a holly tree with berries
3.
3. An unusual sight are small leaved lime trees with odd trunks at about 1m above ground level, you will see one on the right as you walk up this ride, caused by the lead shoot curling in the top of the tree shelter when it was young.
A small leaved lime growing with an unusual shape in Giddings Wood
4.
4. This ride takes you to the edge of the woodland and meets an access track, here you head to the right and in front of you is Giddings Barn.
One of the barns in Gidding's Wood during autumn
5.
5. As you approach the barn head left through into newly planted woodland. After a brief walk through the new planting head right, back toward Giddings Wood.
A close up of a waymarker post next to a stone wall on the right hand side with open forest up ahead
6.
6. As you leave this new plantation you will notice an area of grassland along the brook and an owl box in a semi mature ash tree. The grass habitat is specifically for owls to hunt small rodents, we keep it at different lengths to help them thrive here.
Barn owls hunting
A close up of a barn owl looking out for prey
7.
7. Back into Giddings Wood. To the left is a bridge over Noleham Brook and the Heart of England Way footpath, but we head right through a corridor of blackthorn which is spreading from the hedge behind.
A footpath running through a corridor of blackthorn hedges
8.
8. At the next fork turn left. Don’t leave the woodland, but at the Giddings sign head right along the hedge for almost 200m. The path takes a sharp turn to the right and again you will see Giddings Barn in the distance.
A close up of the Gidding's Wood sign
9.
9. Where the ride opens up to a wider grassy area take the ride to the left.
A glade opposite a bench along a forked path at Gidding's Wood
10.
10. At the next fork head to the left – then finally go left at the last fork in the route, joining the path back to the car park.
A bench near the end of the Gidding's Wood walk
End! Well done

Thank you to volunteer David for contributing these wonderful woodland walk photos (apart from points 2, 3 and 6).