Ecclesall Woods As the Weather Warms Up, the Buds on the Trees Speckled Wood Leaves Open Up, Filling the Woodland with Green Leaves

Ecclesall Woods As the weather warms up, the buds on the trees Speckled wood Leaves open up, filling the woodland with green leaves. butterfly Ecclesall Woods is Spring / Summer Woodland flowers bloom and birdsong fills the air. Speckled wood butterflies home to over 15 species are brown with creamy of trees – how many Walks & activities There is so much to see at this time of year. Can you patches on their wings. different leaves can you These butterflies love identify? Look out for spot everything shown below? Don’t forget to take the long, jagged edged pictures to share with other woodland explorers. partially shaded woodland with dappled sunlight sweet chestnut leaf, the and can often be seen lobed oak leaf or the #ecclesallwoods spiralling in the air to paper thin beech leaf. Can chase each other. Species you collect 15 different of butterfly you may also leaves? see in the woods are red admiral, peacock, orange tip and meadow brown.

Bluebells Grey heron Wood collier’s May is usually the best This tall, long-legged bird memorial month to see bluebells in makes a lot of noise when The monument in Wood 2 the woods. These flowers it is nesting season. Its call says that “George Yardley, love ancient woodlands like is like a loud squawk. The woodcollier, was burnt to Ecclesall Woods and the grey herons at Ecclesall death in his cabbin on this display here is spectacular. Woods nest on the far place Oct 11 1786”. Wood Enjoy looking at and side of the bird sanctuary GEORGE YARDLEY collier was another name photographing the sea of in the tall larch trees that for charcoal burner, and purple created by these grow there. The most we there is a charcoal hearth flowers, but please don’t have ever had here has very close to the memorial. pick them or stand on them been 9 nests – see how It is thought that he fell as they are delicate. many you can count and asleep while at work and if you can spot a huge the fire got out of hand. heron flying overhead. Follow the map to find the wood collier’s memorial. Can you read the names of his friends who paid for the memorial? Ecclesall Woods is a wonderful place for a walk Coppiced hazel Bracket fungi in all seasons. This leaflet includes three walks of different lengths, so you can choose one that Coppicing is a traditional Bracket fungi feed on method of woodland wood, either as living suits you. It also includes activities and exciting management, which has trees or dead logs, and things to look out for while exploring the woods. been used for generations. the brackets are their The hazel gets cut down to fruiting bodies. They a stump, but this does not kill form shelf-like structures ------the tree. Instead, in spring, singly or in groups and Woodland Discovery Centre, it produces new growth in normally stick out from Abbey Lane, Ecclesall Woods, the form of tall straight stems the trunk or branches. Sheffield, S7 2QZ of wood. These stems can Brackets can be as small 0114 235 6348 be used for hurdles, broom as 1cm across or as big [email protected] handles, fences, legs for as 1 metre! As you walk @ecclesallwoods furniture and many other through the woods see #ecclesallwoods things. When you see a how many bracket fungi ------coppiced hazel, see if you you can spot. can count how many sticks of new growth you can see.

Treecreeper Wood anemone Listen to the 2. Great spotted woodpecker The treecreeper is a small These white flowers – listen for them drumming bird with a brown back, are one of the first to woodland on dead wood. It usually white belly and a white appear in the woodland Birds use their voices for lots lasts only a few seconds stripe over its eye. It has in spring and cover the of reasons – to guard their with 8-12 beats and fades a thin beak that curves woodland floor like stars. territories, to attract a mate, to away at the end. downwards, that it uses to They usually flower from announce a predator is near 3. Song thrush – these probe insects and spiders March to May and have or perhaps just to sing! Listen out of the bark of a tree. 5 to 8 petals. They are a birds make a noise, then and see if you can hear any of repeat that noise 3-4 Treecreepers travel up good indicator that the these birds: trees, going round the woodland is an ancient times, then move on to a trunk, but they never travel woodland (meaning that 1. Chiff chaff – these birds different noise. back down – see if you trees have been here sound like they are saying can spot one going up a since the 1600s). their own name “chiff chaff tree in the woods. chiff chaff chiff chaff…” using two different notes again and again. Ancient woodlands. Enormous sweet chestnut Ecclesall Woods trees. Q-pits. A rustic coffee stop. Birdsong.

D obcrob Whichever path you take through Ecclesall cr oft Ro Parkhead Ro Cricket Ground ad Woods, you’ll discover something delightful. Wood 1 Use this map to help you find a route that suits you. 30-minute stroll (suitable for pushchairs): Leave the Woodland Discovery Centre through the gate to the left of the car park and turn left. Continue down the slope until

A you reach a wonky crossroads, take the second path and pass the b b e y fallen tree on your left. Continue on this path, past the beech tree L a n covered in fungi on your left. At the crossroads continue straight on. e When you cross a small, planked bridge, turn right. Continue to a crossroads with a beech tree and go straight on. At the next fork, take the right path. At the next junction take a sharp right, down the hill. Continue to the crossroads, turn left and walk back up to the Woodland Discovery Centre, through the gate on your right.

th u ouo S 1-hour wander: d a oao R ll Leave the Woodland Discovery Centre through the gate to the left sa e cl of the car park and take the path to the right over the little bridge. c EnE EcclesalE n d o Turn left and bear left downhill to a bridge. Walk up the steps, turn w o o right and follow the bridleway. Take the left fork uphill at the next d R o junction. Turn left when you reach a fork in the path and continue a d uphill. Follow the path as it rounds to the left and begins to go downhill. Just before the next path on your right, look left to see the heron nests high up in the larch trees. Continue past the small path on your right. At the next fork, bear right. Go straight on at the next Road wdale Whhiirloowdal crossroads, signed to Abbeydale Road South. At the next junction Whhirlirlowdalele Roao ad bear left At the gate turn left. Walk all along the bottom path until you get to a crossroads, go over the small, planked bridge. Continue AbA b b eye over a crossroads, past a path on your right, and at the next junction Whirlow Wheel y L a take the second exit leading uphill towards the Woodland Discovery n e Woodland Centre, through the gate on your right. Discovery Wood Collier’s Centre Monument ad Ro e R 2-hour explore: ag rs hhee t at n Wood 2 Leave the Woodland Discovery Centre through the gate to the left HaH e 5 c 225 s of the car park and take the path to the right over the little bridge. 6 e

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y y Turn left and bear left downhill to a bridge. Walk up the steps, turn

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Donkey b right and follow the bridleway. At the next junction turn right and go

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Whirlow Playing Field through the gate into the Donkey Field. At the next gate turn right and

go down the steps. Turn right across the bridge, immediately left, and

left again following the sign to Abbeydale Road South. At the corner with three gates turn left. Continue, cross the stream, and reach a th u oou gate. Turn left, cross a stream and turn immediately right, following the S d bridleway to Abbeydale Road South. Continue along this wiggly path e a n ooa a R LLa Bird Sanctuary past a double trunked oak tree on the left. At the next fork, bear right. le a b d m y i e Continue at the next crossroads to a gate. Abbeydale Road will LimbL b bbbeydal A be in front of you, turn left. Continue along this bottom path until you 1 A 2 6 meet a major crossroads. Turn right and cross Abbey Lane. Enter the A woods and follow the bridleway through wood 2 and cross Whirlowdale Ryecroft Road. In Wood 1 follow the bridleway to the Dobcroft Road entrance. Mill Abbeydale At the noticeboard crossroads go straight on, on the footpath signed Industrial Hamlet to Abbey Lane. Climb towards the top corner of Wood 1 and turn Picnic Area left on the footpath signed to Whirlowdale Road. Continue at the two crossroads to the road and cross over Abbey Lane. Re-enter Wood 3 slightly to the right. Walk down the path and bear left to return to the Woodland Discovery Centre. Heron nesting area

Beauchief Gardens Enjoyed these walks? Look out for other leaflets in the Wood 3 Woodland Discovery Centre – try the archaeology trail or Abbeydale an audio trail through the woods. Miniature Railway There are lots of other ancient woodlands in Sheffield – why not try and visit three other ancient woodlands this summer? For more information about the woods, events and workshops visit www.sheffield.gov.uk/discoverycentre 0 250 500 Car Park Dore Railway Station Don’t forget to share what you discover using Metres #ecclesallwoods Ecclesall Woods The colder months bring a lot of change to the Berries Minibeasts woods. Trees turn golden, the ground becomes In September, berries Little creatures live all Autumn / Winter crunchy, and thoughts turn to collecting for the appear on rowan, yew, over the woodlands winter ahead. elder and hawthorn throughout winter. Walks & activities trees. Bramble bushes Creatures like woodlice, are abundant with beetles, slugs, snails, There’s still plenty to look out for and uncover blackberries. In the winter, earwigs, millipedes, and between the fallen leaves. See if you can spot holly trees have bright centipedes are active everything on this autumn tick list. And don’t red berries and ivy plants all year round. Roll a forget to take a picture to share with other have purple berries. These log over or move a few berries are an important leaves and see what you woodland explorers. food source for many find underneath. Please animals, especially birds. remember to replace #ecclesallwoods the logs/leaves so the animals’ homes are not destroyed.

Sweet chestnut Fallen leaves Birds The sweet chestnuts are Ecclesall Woods is home The woods are full of some of the oldest, largest to over 15 species of birds all year round. In trees in the woods. Look tree. How many different autumn, look out for pairs out for their grooved types of leaf can you find? of jays collecting acorns trunks and large burrs. Try and collect them and and nuthatches climbing The leaves are large create a line of colour on up the trunks of trees. In with zig-zag edges and the ground, from green to winter, look out for robins the chestnuts fall to the yellow to orange to brown. sitting in the branches. If ground in spikey cases. you spot a robin, stand See if you can open a still and wait for it to sing. spikey case carefully, to find the chestnuts inside.

Ecclesall Woods is a wonderful place for a walk Buds Squirrels in all seasons. This leaflet includes three walks of different lengths, so you can choose one that When deciduous trees At this time of year lose their leaves in winter squirrels are busy suits you. It also includes activities and exciting it is hard to identify them. collecting nuts and seeds things to look out for while exploring the woods. However, if you look and burying them in hiding closely at the buds you places around the woods, can often work out what so that they can dig them ------tree it is. Look out for the up in winter when food Woodland Discovery Centre, black buds of ash trees, is scarce. Can you find Abbey Lane, Ecclesall Woods, the bright green buds of an acorn and bury it like Sheffield, S7 2QZ sycamore trees, and a a squirrel? If a squirrel 0114 235 6348 cluster of buds at the end doesn’t find it, it might [email protected] of the oak trees’ twigs. grow into an oak tree! @ecclesallwoods #ecclesallwoods ------

Q-pits Fungi Smell the woodland! 1. Smell the mud Winter is a great time to Ecclesall Woods is rich – get down low spot Q-pits. A Q-pit is a in fungi. The purple Imagine you are an animal in the and see what the circular dip in the ground coloured amethyst woods this autumn and winter. woodland floor where white coal was deceiver hides amongst Animals rely on their sense of smell to smells like. produced before the the leaf litter. Bracket find food, find their way around, leave 2. Smell the bark industrial revolution. There fungi cling to the dead messages for other animals and to of a tree – give a is abundance of Q-pits standing wood and earth stay away from predators. Can you tree a cuddle and and charcoal hearths in balls are often discovered use your nose in the woodland today? smell it! the woods. Can you see right by the side of the What does it smell like? circular depressions that paths. WARNING: some 3. Smell different are roughly three metres fungi are poisonous so leaves – do all across, with a gap where always wash your hands leaves smell the the chimney would have after touching them. same? been (this capital Q shape 4. Smell nuts and gives them their name). seeds – what do acorns smell like? Ancient woodlands. Enormous sweet chestnut Ecclesall Woods trees. Q-pits. A rustic coffee stop. Birdsong.

th u ouo S 1-hour wander: d a oao R ll Leave the Woodland Discovery Centre through the gate to the left sa e cl of the car park and take the path to the right over the little bridge. c EnE EcclesalE n d o Turn left and bear left downhill to a bridge. Walk up the steps, w o o turn right and follow the bridleway. Take the left fork uphill at the d R o next junction. Turn left when you reach a fork in the path and a d continue uphill. Follow the path as it rounds to the left and begins to go downhill. Continue past a small path on your right. At the next fork, bear right. Go straight on at the next crossroads, signed to Abbeydale Road South. At the next junction bear left At the Road wdale Whhiirloowdal gate turn left. Walk all along the bottom path until you get to a Whhirlirlowdalele Roao ad crossroads, go over the small, planked bridge. Continue over a crossroads, past a path on your right, and at the next junction take the AbA b b eye second exit leading uphill towards the Woodland Discovery Centre, Whirlow Wheel y L a through the gate on your right. n e Woodland Discovery Wood Collier’s Centre Monument 2-hour explore: ad Ro e R Leave the Woodland Discovery Centre through the gate to the left ag rs hhee t at n Wood 2 of the car park and take the path to the right over the little bridge. HaH e 5 c 225 s Turn left and bear left downhill to a bridge. Walk up the steps, turn 6 e

A6A r

y y right and follow the bridleway. At the next junction turn right and go

e e

b b

Donkey b through the gate into the Donkey Field. At the next gate turn right and

A A

Field

Whirlow Playing Field go down the steps. Turn right across the bridge, immediately left, and

left again following the sign to Abbeydale Road South. At the corner

with three gates turn left. Continue, cross the stream, and reach a gate. Turn left, cross a stream and turn immediately right, following the th u oou bridleway to Abbeydale Road South. Continue along this wiggly path S d past a double trunked oak tree on the left. At the next fork, bear right. e a n ooa a R LLa Bird Sanctuary Continue at the next crossroads to a gate. Abbeydale Road will le a b d m y i e be in front of you, turn left. Continue along this bottom path until you LimbL b bbbeydal A meet a major crossroads. Turn right and cross Abbey Lane. Enter the 1 A 2 6 woods and follow the bridleway through wood 2 and cross Whirlowdale A Road. In wood 1 follow the bridleway to the Dobcroft Road entrance. Ryecroft At the noticeboard crossroads go straight on, on the footpath signed Mill Abbeydale to Abbey Lane. Climb towards the top corner of wood 1 and turn left Industrial Hamlet on the footpath signed to Whirlowdale Road. Continue at the two Picnic Area crossroads to the road and cross over Abbey Lane. Re-enter wood 3 slightly to the right. Walk down the path and bear left to return to the Woodland Discovery Centre.

Beauchief Gardens Wood 3

Abbeydale Miniature Railway Enjoyed these walks? Look out for other leaflets in the Woodland Discovery Centre – try the archaeology trail or an audio trail through the woods. For more information about the woods, events and 0 250 500 Car Park Dore Railway workshops visit www.sheffield.gov.uk/discoverycentre Station Metres Don’t forget to share what you discover using #ecclesallwoods