Harston Wood
| Harston Wood | |
|---|---|
 Looking downhill towards Shirley Brook | |
  Location in Staffordshire | |
| Location | Froghall, near Cheadle, Staffordshire |
| OS grid | SK 034 479 |
| Coordinates | 53°1′42″N 1°57′3″W / 53.02833°N 1.95083°WCoordinates: 53°1′42″N 1°57′3″W / 53.02833°N 1.95083°W |
| Area | 3 hectares (7.4 acres) |
| Operated by | Staffordshire Wildlife Trust |
| Website | www |
Harston Wood is a nature reserve of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. It is an ancient woodland, adjacent to the village of Froghall, near Cheadle, Staffordshire, England.
Description[]
The reserve, area 3 hectares (7.4 acres), is part of the Churnet Valley Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is nearly a mile long, on a steep valley side between Shirley Brook (a tributary of the River Churnet) to the north, and the route of a former tramway, now a footpath, from where the entire length of the reserve can be seen. The tramway once carried limestone from quarries about 3 miles (4.8 km) to the east at Caldon Low near Cauldon, to the Caldon Canal at Froghall Wharf.[1]
Existing for over 400 years, the wood is ancient woodland. There are mostly ash trees; other species include hazel, oak and small-leaved lime. It is a habitat for woodpeckers, nuthatches and treecreepers. In waterlogged places there are areas of alder carr.[1]
On the ground of the woodland there is wild garlic, yellow archangel and wood-sorrel. Twayblade and broadleaved helleborine can be seen next to the tramway.[1]
References[]
- ^ a b c "Harston Wood" Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
External links[]
- "Churnet Valley Living Landscapes project Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
- Nature reserves in Staffordshire
- Forests and woodlands of Staffordshire
- Ancient woods in England