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SHABDEN PARK Visitor Guide and Self-guided Trail Shabden Park Estate Shabden Park is famed for its sweeping views of rolling hills and sheep-grazed valleys. In the 1960s and 70s intensive farming took its toll, almost destroying the rich wildflower grassland. The present tenant farmer has returned the land to a more wildlife friendly way of farming and each year more flowers and birds are seen here. Shabden Park Estate is owned by Surrey County Council and managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust Countryside Services. When visiting the Estate please remember that most of the area is a working farm. In the interests of both wildlife and livestock, you should keep to the designated paths and close all gates after you. All dogs should be on a lead. Self-guided Circular Trail The trail starts next to the SWTCS information board (small parking area) situated opposite the football and cricket club, High Road, Chipstead. The route includes some steep climbs, narrow paths, kissing gates and will take 3 about 1 /4 hrs to complete. Green marker posts will help you follow the trail. 1. The large building on the left was and was originally a country seat for Lord Marshall and family; it then became Shabden Park Hospital and is now sub- divided into dwellings. As you walk down the track the gardens to your left were originally landscaped and provided views of the vista back towards the house from the arboretum area and out across the dry chalk valley over the pheasant coverts. The valley has been restored to chalk grassland, a rare habitat rich in flora and fauna, particularly butterflies, and is managed by grazing. Green woodpeckers are frequently seen in the fields through the valley, feeding on ants, along with flocks of fieldfares in autumn and winter. 2. Porters Wood. A fairly recently established area of amenity woodland. It is interesting to note that ash trees thrive here and beech are reluctant to regrow. 3. Poorfield Wood. An evocative name and doubtless why earlier agriculturalists decided this field should be put back to woodland. The woods are home to a resident population of elusive roe deer and an abundance of songbirds. 4. The trail now heads across the permanent pasture towards the Old School House, through a wildflower meadow teeming in summer with butterflies, bees and other invertebrates. Shabden to Park Estate Chipstead Old e School an d L House Castle Road Outwoo 4 3 to Poorfield d Tadworth Wood a o R h g i H Porters N Wood to The Long 2 Hooley Plantation 1 5 HogscrossLane 6 White Hill e d Lan stea Chip Key Footpath SouthernsLane Bridleway Self-guided Trail Site size: 144.5 hectares (360 acres) R 500 yards ec to ry Road 0 500 metres For details of public transport in Surrey call Traveline 0870 608 2608 OS Explorer map 147 covers this area. www.traveline.org.uk 5. Long Plantation. Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest by English Nature and in parts an ancient woodland. The magnificent stand of over- mature beech trees, so much a feature of this landscape, was destroyed in the Great Storm of October 1987. Many yew trees survived the storm and the area is currently naturally regenerating with beech and other native trees. The open grassland is being restored and fenced so it can be grazed to maintain and support numerous rare plants, including orchids, as well as providing a haven for butterflies. Evidence of badgers can be seen along the woodland track. The plantation can claim a royal connection. King George V’s sons (Edward and George) shot pheasants here. The landscape of small woodlands and thick shaws (wide hedgerows) owes a great deal to its history as a shooting estate. 6. From here a stiffish climb back up the valley side, past grazing sheep, gives one the excuse to pause for breath and take in the view back towards the Long Plantation and to perhaps imagine the time before the Great War of 1914-18 when Shabden Park and its like were originally managed and landscaped by people of vision, who planted woodlands for future generations. Restoring this area to its historical state, and creating and maintaining habitats for wildlife, encourages a more responsible attitude towards using and managing the countryside. We hope you have enjoyed your visit to this site. If you have any comments, Surrey Wildlife Trust’s mission is to protect and regenerate Surrey’s wildlife. The Trust is a registered charity (No: 208123). In partnership with Surrey County Council we currently manage 80 sites covering over 4,000 hectares of land, for nature conservation and public enjoyment. This includes the Trust’s own nature reserves, SCC’s countryside estate and land managed under access agreements with private landowners. A further 3,200 hectares are managed under a grazing contract with the MOD, making Surrey Wildlife Trust, in terms of land managed, the largest Wildlife Trust in England. Surrey Wildlife Trust School Lane, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0JN. 06/09 Tel: 01483 795440 Email: [email protected] Visit our website: www.surreywildlifetrust.org.