A Trip Down Hayley Lane

When you live somewhere for long enough it becomes increasingly uncommon that you come across an undiscovered gem right on your doorstep, but this month we did just that. Just a quarter of an hour away by car from Papworth, the beautiful Hayley Wood lies concealed down a secluded path. At this time of year it is brimming with resplendent bluebells and dainty wood anemones, and the distinctive chatter of chiffchaffs and laughter of woodpeckers punctuate the calm air. It is also an excellent place to try to catch sight of adorable podgy treecreepers and camouflaged spotted flycatchers.

The wood is carefully managed to ensure that a variety of habitats are available for many woodland species. As well as birds, the wood is home to mammals such as badgers and foxes, and a wide range of invertebrates, notably a rich array of butterflies including the elusive silver-washed fritillary. With habitats ranging from coppiced woodland to mature trees and from open glades to ponds a multitude of niches have been created to promote biodiversity.

However, not all species are equally welcome in the wood. As part of their management work, the Wildlife Trust have erected a fence to exclude deer from the majority of the wood. With their cute little faces deer look too innocent to be any trouble, but unfortunately they cause havoc to ecosystems, foraging on the undergrowth and damaging the structure and regeneration capabilities of woodland, so the fencing is an important step towards limiting their destruction of this ancient woodland.

Woodland has been present on some parts of the site since prehistoric times but there are areas which still bear the marks of a much more recent history. As you first enter the wood you will find yourself in a section referred to as “The Triangle”. It is easy to get distracted here by the first enchanting sight of the wood but if you look carefully you will see the ridges and furrows left from the time when this area was regularly ploughed prior to the agricultural depression in the late 19^th/early 20^th century. At this time large swathes of agricultural land were abandoned as farming became unprofitable. Over time the land that was left untouched underwent a gradual succession, which took it from farmland to woodland. I find it fascinating to stand in “The Triangle” and think about the changes which have occurred here since nature was allowed to take over around 100 years ago.

At only 52 hectares Hayley Wood is admittedly diminutive in size, but what it lacks in area it makes up for in biotic diversity, natural beauty and an all-encompassing sense of calm. So next time you fancy getting away from it all, you could do a lot worse than taking a trip down the inconspicuous Hayley Lane.