Ruislip Woods Walks Red route 1.2km The Red Route is one of several easy access guided walks that pass through Woods. The path starts from Wiltshire Lane and ends at the Lido car park, Reservoir Road, and is mostly downhill. It can, however, be walked either way round. Accessible by bus H13 alighting at the top of Wiltshire Lane, Northwood. The H13 can be boarded from Ruislip, , , and Northwood.

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H13 bus stop

www..gov.uk/greenspaces Walks Red route Follow the posts marked 6 Follow the path ahead, alongside the with a red disc and arrow bridleway, and walk through the opening in 1 The first post for the Red Route is situated the fence ahead of you to enter Poor’s Field. at the Wiltshire Lane entrance to Park Wood (one Proceed by turning left and keeping the Field of the four woods that make up Ruislip Woods). to your right. Poor’s Field is the last remaining Wild cherry trees can be seen close to the first relic of the common wasteland that used to route marker. Wild cherry have attractive, shiny, cover a substantial area in the north of the reddish bark, and in the autumn provide cherry Parish of Ruislip. The vegetation is of typical acid fruits for a wide range of woodland fauna. soil heathland i.e. low in nutrients. The small Continue walking downhill, keeping the golf grass mounds covering the Field are ant hills, course to your right. important feeding areas for green woodpeckers. 7 2 Bats will roost in large mature trees, such Cattle are grazed in Poor’s Field during the as , examples of which you’ll see as you summer months to help control the invading walk down the hill. Bats roost together for body scrubby vegetation. They eat the stems, shoots, warmth and social contact, and Ruislip Woods leaves, and berries of species such as bramble, harbour several bat species. Continue walking grasses, trees, and gorse. In the past other down the hill. livestock such as horses and pigs would have regularly grazed on the vegetation of this common 3 As the earth bank to your right draws land. During the summer months look out for heath parallel with the route you will spot a beech tree spotted orchids, and for butterflies such as the growing on the earth bank. At some time in the meadow brown, red admiral and speckled wood. past this beech tree was coppiced, or cut down 8 to the stump, and has since re-grown several The grassy areas, as well as the nearby lido, large horizontal branches. Trees growing on are good habitats for grass snakes, which feed on boundary earth banks, such as this one, were frogs, toads, newts and small fish. In addition to often coppiced as a way of marking the boundary grass snakes, there are also populations of slow of one owner’s land with another. worms. Continue walking along the path, keeping the lido and railway line to your left. 4 On some decaying tree stumps you may notice 9 what look like boot laces covering them. These are As you walk you may notice mature trees part of the honey fungus, a species of fungi found scattered around. These are home to hundreds of in woodlands that lives off dying and deadwood. different insects, fungi, and lichens, and are used Although often destructive in a park or garden, as feeding grounds, nesting areas, lookout points, honey fungus is kept in check in woodlands by and homes for many birds, insects and mammals. strong competition with other fungi. 10 Follow the path through the last remaining 5 On the way down the hill you may notice field and exit Poor’s Field via the kissing gate by rowan trees, and during the autumn the the road and car park. bright red berries are a distinctive and valued You are now in Reservoir Road. The H13 bus stop is food resource for woodland birds and small down on the left-hand side of the road past the pub. mammals. Turn right and follow the gravel path The H13 runs from the top of Wiltshire Lane, around the edge of the golf course for about 100 Northwood, to , in Reservoir Road, metres. Turn left at the old, disused building and Ruislip. The H13 can be boarded from Ruislip, cross the small bridge. Ruislip Manor, Pinner, and Northwood. Further copies of this leaflet can be obtained from the Woodland Centre, next to the Lido beach, as well as public libraries and the Civic Centre in or downloaded from the council's website at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/greenspaces