Spring Wood

Spring Wood in bluebells, Tony Frankland

Spring Wood in bluebells, Tony Frankland 

Bat, Robert Booth

Bat, Robert Booth

Wigeon, Guy Badham

Wigeon, Guy Badham 

Spring Wood

Spring Wood nature reserve is owned by Severn Trent Water and as of 2021 has been leased to The National Trust for a 25 year period. The regional National Trust team is now looking after this site, both carrying out practical conservation work and managing the visitor infrastructure and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust do not have any practical involvement with either.

We continue to work with Severn Trent Water and National Trust in partnership sharing mutual advice and support, working together on the wider aims of a thriving living landscape and species recovery but please direct all enquiries regarding access and practical work to foremarkandstaunton@nationaltrust.org.uk or call 01332863822.

A beautiful woodland with an abundance of springtime bluebells and a haven for bats.

Location

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On the eastern side of Staunton Harold Reservoir
Melbourne
Derbyshire
DE73 8BJ.

OS Map Reference

SK 3782 2201
A static map of Spring Wood

Know before you go

Size
20 hectares
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Entry fee

No
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Parking information

Park at Severn Trent car park at the southern end of the reservoir, DE73 8BJ.
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Access

Paths are a mixture of boardwalk and packed ground with limited access for wheelchairs for the first 500m of boardwalk but thereafter the paths are packed earth with tree roots and uneven ground. 

Dogs

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Facilities

Bird hides

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

Spring for bluebells, evening for bats, autumn for fungi

About the reserve

Spring Wood Nature Reserve is now under management by The National Trust, who have taken over responsibility for both habitat management and visitor infrastructure. At this time the second bird hide is locked due to subsidence making it unsafe to use.

This woodland reserve is a beautiful sight in May, when bluebells carpet much of the woodland floor.

As well as a mixture of trees including birch, oak, ash and alder, the streams that run through the reserve create a different habitat, where golden opposite-leaved saxifrage grows in spring.

The trees provide nesting sites for many birds, including great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch and treecreeper. The older trees occasionally attract hornets, which may be seen hunting along the path.

During autumn you will see - or smell - several species of fungus, including stinkhorn, while the dying birch trees have birch bracket fungus.

From the hide, there are good views over the southern part of Staunton Harold Reservoir and in winter you will see many species of duck, including wigeon, shoveler, pochard and tufted duck. In muddy areas, look for the tracks of fallow deer.

Contact us

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
Contact number: 01773 881188