Stoneycliffe Wood Nature Reserve

Stoneycliffe Wood was historically used for timber production but is now managed by The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust as a nature reserve. The Trust’s important conservation work includes protecting the older trees, and planting new species to diversify the canopy. It also controls bracken and invasive species such as Himalayan balsam to help native woodland flowers flourish.

The woodland comprises mainly oak and birch trees, but sweet chestnuts can also be found. In spring, the floor of the woods is covered in bluebells and garlic, while in summer, yellow archangel creates beautiful displays.

Great-spotted, lesser-spotted, and green woodpeckers can all be spotted in the woods feeding on insects that inhabit dead wood. The invertebrates are also an excellent food source for small insect-eating birds such as chiffchaffs, spotted flycatchers, and willow warblers.

A small beck runs through the western edge of the wood with wood club-rush, hemlock water dropwort and Sprengel’s bramble growing alongside it. Look closely and you may spot a dipper bobbing along under the water.

As well as birds, a variety of mammals inhabit Stoneycliffe including foxes, voles, stoats, and shrews.

The YWT has done a lot of work to improve the paths that run through the woods, but as much of it is on a steep slope it is not be suitable for wheelchair users or those with limited mobility.

There is no car park near the woods but you can park on the verge leading to Earnshaw’s Timber Centre.

Please note, dogs are welcome on the reserve, but must be kept on a lead at all times.