Last Updated 21st June 2008
We're now past the solstice so it's "High Summer". Sunshine and showers in equal measure mean the Forest is especially lush and beautiful.
LOOKING FOR "GO APE" THE ADVENTURE TREETOP CLIMBING EXPERIENCE AT ALICE HOLT VISITOR CENTRE? >> CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS OF GO APE
SEE FORTHCOMING EVENTS AT ALICE HOLT VISITOR CENTRE >>CLICK HERE
LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE TO EAT AND DRINK WITH THE FAMILY?>>Click here for our NEW PUB GUIDE
See other attractions near Alice Holt Forest>>Click here for our guide to PLACES TO VISIT NEAR ALICE HOLT
Welcome to the Alice Holt Forest Website
We started this website one evening around a year ago in a mad rush in order to update people concerned about the campsite planning application. We decided to keep the site going. Partly as a noticeboard to inform the public about other future threats to the Forest but also to act as a general forum for everyone who knows and loves this unique place.
The site was started in February 2007 and has now received over 18,000 visitors from as far away as Argentina, Botswana and even the Caribbean islands of St Kitts and Nevis!
Thanks to all our visitors and e-mail correspondents.
We are building up a collection of interesting articles about the Forest, it's history, ecology, wildlife and points of interest. We would like to receive any contributions you may have. No matter how long or short;serious or lighthearted. Nature sightings, recollections of the Forest in past times, interesting facts, events and notices, pictures, poems,scholarly treatises or kids' stuff...please use the contact us link or put it in the "Snail mail". Go to Contact us details
HIGHLIGHTS
SHAKESPEARE COMES TO ALICE HOLT FOREST
A Midsummer Night's Dream outdoor Theatre in the Forest
DOG WALKING IN ALICE HOLT FOREST >>Click here
Dog owners BEWARE...there are reports of DOG THEIVES operating in the Forest. Especially a couple where the woman engages people in conversation while a man with a goatee beard nicks their dog. Contact info@aliceholt.org or call the Police if you see anything suspicious.
CYCLING FOR ALL IN ALICE HOLT FOREST
You can enjoy miles of traffic free cycling in the Forest.Special routes for kids and those who want to take it easy, or more challenging trails for the hardcore two-wheel enthusiast. Find out about access, cycle hire and the new CTC scheme ...including specialised cycles for those with physical difficulties.
>> Click here for more photos in the Photo Gallery including this one: a foxglove close up.
New! LOCAL GUIDE TO THE ALICE HOLT AREA
Fancy a pint and a bit of nosh after your visit to the Forest?
>>Click here for our guide to the best pubs around Alice Holt. (all tested personally by your's truly! Ed) We've also included local B&B accommodation for those looking to stay in the Alice Holt Forest area.
The Best of Farnham: guide to local business and attractions
To find out what's what in this area>>Click here for Best of Farnham Online Guide
Springfields Nursery: A freat family-run garden centre with great prices
For many years Barry Plumber, owner of Springfields Nursery at Oakhanger has sponsored the Binsted Flower Show. Springfields is a traditional nursery-garden centre offering everything you need in the way of plants, tools, sundries, fencing, petcare etc all at very reasonable prices.
CONTENTS
Go Ape Now Open for 2008 Season. Click to get directions
NEW! Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream in Alice Holt (see left)
NEW! Community Features (just below this contents section: scroll down)
Kate Fordham's Peru trek in aid of St Luke's Cancer Fund
Binsted Fete & Flower Show
NEW! Cycling in Alice Holt Forest, including cycle hire
NEW! Our guide to the best local pubs . Great places to take the family for lunch. Or enjoy the long evenings over a pint of real ale. Also includes where to find local accommodation
Dog Walking in Alice Holt, Sponsored Husky Sledding and Dog Photo Winners
South Downs National Park Proposal: Binsted & Alice Holt Excluded
Report of the latest meeting between local groups and Forest Enterprise
Mowing & Grading of Rides: Find out why it's happened and what's the impact
Photo Gallery: More New Photos
Alice Holt in the Roman Period: the Alice Holt & Farnham Potteries
Want to Contribute to this Site?
Feature of the Month : Wild Roses and Woodbine
Twitchers' Corner (Rarity List)
Forest Activities & Diary of Events:
Includes directions and details of the Visitor Centre, together with all the events happening there
COMMUNITY
TREK PERU CHALLENGE
St Luke's Cancer Fund is based at the Royal County Hosital ,Guildford and it at the forefront of treating and caring for people with cancer in Surrey, Hampshire & Sussex
Kate Fordham will be taking part in the Trek Peru Challenge , walking the ancient Inca way in October, hoping to raise £3000 for St.Lukes. Kate will be joining her mum ,who's was treated by St Luke's for breast cancer. Kate's Auction of Promises on 7th June got the total raised up to more than £2300 but she still has some way to go to hit the target sum. So why not visit Kate's Justgiving.com site Or contact Kate directly on 07855 358971 or Kate's email
BINSTED'S 100th FLOWER SHOW
Mark Saturday 26th July in your diary...it's the Binsted Fete & Flower Show, always a great traditional afternoon's fun attracting visitors from all over the Parish and from further afield too.
Binsted Fete is held on Binsted Recreation Ground (Opposite the Cedars pub) and opens at 2.00pm
This year's special: it's the 100th Flower Show, so there will be a turn-of-the-last-century feel to the event and special centenary classes.
There are classes for home-grown fruit, veg, flowers & plants, flower arrangements, baking and other domestic produce and even a scarecrow competition.
It's easy to have a go, we offer a bit of guidance to those who "don't know their onions" and all new entrants are especially welcome. There are cups and trophies, plus first prize winners in each of the 83 classes wins a special 10% off discount card for Springfields Nursery, valid for a full year.
So whether you want to enter a mass of home-grown produce or a simple pot of jam, ,just pick up a schedule from local pubs such as the Cedars , the Jolly Farmer or the Bluebell and get your entries in at the Cedars Pub in Binsted between 6 & 8pm on the thursday before the show (24th). There's a thriving kids' section to the show too, which you can enter on 24th or just bring your exhibit along on the day before 10.15am
There much more than just the Flower Show at Binsted Fete: there's a Photographic Show, a highly popular Pet Dog Show, Grand Raffle, tug'o'war contest, tombola, bottle stall, plant stall, tractor rides, beer tent, hog roast, tea and homemede cakes and stalls offering everything from crafts and books to wellie throwing!
Plus in the evening there's an amazing Barn Dance inside the big marquee with tradtional grub and a bar as well as live music. Tickets will be available soon from the Cedars for £12 (£7 children, toddlers free)
We're always on the lookout for helpers: anyone who wants to lend a hand please call Fete Coordinators Yvonne Puley (01420 22233) or Jo Balls (07970) 233544
Schedules for the Flower Show can also be obtained from Patrick Butler on (01420) 520483
Alice Holt Forest in Old County
Maps of Hampshire
See how Alice Holt mysteriously disappeared off the county maps of Hampshire between 1575 and 1759
Alice Holt Forest in Roman Times
the History of the Alice Holt & Farnham Potteries
See how Alice Holt was, for four hundred years a thriving industrial centre, manufacturing pottery on a vast scale for the citizens of Roman Britannia
| WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS SITE? Got a photo you want posted? Know any favourite Forest walks you'd like to tell people about? Any interesting wildlife you've seen recently? Any news or events you'd like to publicise? Any issues you'd like to get onto the soapbox about? How about your kids? Any drawings or poems they're especially proud of you'd like to see online? We positively welcome any and every contribution to this website. Never mind if you're writing skills are not those of a professional ...you may have noticed my spelling's not too hot either! Just send an e-mail
to which you can attach any of the commonly used types of files
like word, powerpoint, jpegs etc . Send it to info@aliceholt.org.
|
NATURE NEWS
"In June, as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them."
Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) Conservationist, forester, philosopher, educator, writer, and outdoor enthusiast. Considered by many as the father of wildlife management in the United States.
Bluebells are generally considered British woodlands' biggest plant "specacular". But the Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) comes close. It's a true woodland plant, managing to grow and flower in the shade, but it really comes into its own where trees have been felled and the sunlight floods onto the Forest floor.
They patiently sit out the winter as rosettes of rather shabby-looking grey-green leaves which, being poisonous are generally unbothered by rabbits and other browsers. In May the rosettes rush into vertical growth and in June the tall spikes of flowers open, often forming an almost continuous mass of purple. About 5% of the plants come up white, which is a common phenomenon with many purple flowers (see below).
Foxgloves covering the ground where conifers have been cleared
Its poisonous juice and bold, wierdly patterned flower cups have been the stuff of folklore. To cut foxgloves was to risk the wrath of fairies. And children were warned not to wear the flowers like thimbles on their fingers, for fear they might fall asleep and be taken by the fairies. But, once gathered, foxglove was a powerful weapon against fairy magic: the juice, if rubbed on a child might reveal it as the fairies' changeling and bring back the real child from their other-wordly kingdom.
Close-up inside the Foxglove flower: the patterns guide bees and other insects into the depths of the thimble-like flower
In 1785 William Withering looked with the eyes of a scientist into its reputed medicinal powers and discovered its property of slowing down palpitations of the heart, for which the drug digitalis, extracted from the plant is still used today.
As Aldo Leopold said, it's hard to keep track of the flowering of different species at this time of year. Here are a few more to look out for...
Probably the choicest sight is the Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) 'Common' is sadly no longer true and is relative only to other orchids, many of which are extremely rare. Like all orchids these ones are very particular about where they grow and cannot tolerate the chemical fertilisers and weedkillers with which farmers drench 99% of our pastures. Orchids have not returned to the pastures next to my house, despite these having remained untreated since the mid 1940's, such is their intolerance of chemicals. The place to see these is in the ancient, and poison-free grassland of the 'Butterfly Meadow' near Bentley Station where hundreds bloom. But they're also to be found singly or in small clumps on the verges of many of the footpaths and rides through the forest.
Common Spotted Orchids on a damp verge in the Lodge Inclosure. These are quite pale ones. Like the Foxgloves, they vary from a deep purple to almost white.
The MARSH THISTLE (Cirsium palustre) has many traits in common with the Foxglove. It too spends the winter as a low-growing rosette of leaves, protected not by poison like the foxglove, but by formidable prickles. Like the foxglove it then shoots up vertically in a rush to flower and attract polinating insects and it likes the dappled shade or sunshine of woodland clearings.
Like the Foxglove and the Orchids the Marsh Thistle's flowers are predominantly purple but with occasional white specimens.
Medicinal, like the Foxglove, the Hypericums or St.John's Worts are hard to tell apart. From the reddish buds (LEFT) and the tiny dots on the petal edges (RIGHT) I think this one is the SLENDER ST.JOHN'S WORT (Hypericum pulchrum)
Plants which have quite a long period of blooming are these two lovers of damp, grassy patches along the Forest paths: CREEPING BUTTERCUP (Ranunculus repens LEFT)and the tiny-flowered WOOD FORGETMENOT (Myosotis sylvatica RIGHT)
There seem to be so many purple flowers as Summer progresses: these are the little SELF-HEAL (Prunella lasciniata LEFT and the HARDHEAD (Or Black Knapweed, Centaurea nigra RIGHT)
The most nectar-rich of the purple flowers to be found in grassy glades is this RED CLOVER (Trifolium pratense LEFT) which bees love to feed on. Other insects prefer to feed on sap. The CUCKOO SPIT NYMPH or FROGHOPPER (Aphrophora salicis) is an immature Plant Bug which makes this protective mass of foam, living inside feeding on the plant's sap , meanwhile breathing through its tail-end, which pokes through the surface of the "Cuckoo spit"
And of course there are other plants besides what we think of as "flowers" such as this impressive PENDULOUS SEDGE (Carex pendula LEFT) and the delicate LADY FERN (Athyrium felix-femina RIGHT)
Finally the trees themselves are always changing and hold something of interest at all seasons.The SWEET CHESTNUT (Castanea sativa LEFT) has flowered and its long catkins have shed their pollen: soon the prickly-cased edible chestnuts will form. The HAWTHORN (Crataegus monogyna RIGHT) has only just dropped its masses of white petals and has now formed green, unripe berries or 'haws'.
Wild roses and Woodbine
The Midsummer Forest is a riot of growth,brought on by
the alternate June sunshine and rain
"So quick bright things come to confusion."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) A Midsummer Night's Dream. Act 1,Scene 1
We all know that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet. Perhaps that's just as well as the most beautiful of our common wild roses is named the "Dog" Rose (Rosa canina). "Dog" is often used for plants which are somehow considered inferior to other species in the family. For example the "Dog" violet that blooms so beautifully in Alice Holt in spring lacks the perfume of the Sweet Violet. The Dog Rose is scented, beautifully if only faintly. So the "dog" apellation is probably merely contrasting this humble wild rose to the more "noble" creations which for centuries gardeners have bred for both scent and showy beauty. Yet the Dog Rose in its natural setting is as beautiful a flower as one could wish for. Its crisp pink blossoms hang in pendulous masses on long, robustly-spined branches wherever there's a sunny corner of the Forest. Loving, as it does to feel the direct sunlight on its leaves, it can grow to considerable heights, rambling upwards through the branches of other trees to reach a sunny spot.
Much more frequent in Alice Holt Forest is the Field Rose (Rosa arvensis). This is generally a less luxuriant shrub. It bears smaller, white blossoms which are more sweetly scented. Although it too thrives in a sunny spot, forming tumbling sprays of blooms along the ride edges, it also tolerates shade much better than the Dog Rose. Its annoyingly thorny briars cover much of the forest floor wherever oak is the main canopy tree. Like most roses, it readily springs roots where branches touch the ground, giving rise to the looping, double ended briars which so easily snare the walker's ankles!
No roses are long lived, their sweet nectar and pollen feed myriad beetles, butterflies and hoverflies, before rapidly dropping the petals. Along with the petals, the pollen-bearing male anthers dry out and die, having done their work and the green ovary fattens to form the fruit or "rose hip", eventually ripening in autumn to the familiar red colour. Rose hips are famously rich in vitamin C and the hard downy seeds within are a favourite food of many creatures, from wood mice to greenfinches.
The Dog Rose (Rosa canina-LEFT) is a gorgeous sight in sunny corners of the forest. It's scented, but not so strongly or sweetly as the Field Rose (Rosa arvensis-RIGHT) which seems to compensate for its somewhat less showy blooms with a stronger perfume.
In search of its place in the sun, this Dog Rose has rambled up through the ivy to flower some 30 feet up among the branches of an oak tree.
Insects, large and small take advantage of the short lived abundance of nectar and pollen from the Field Roses. From left to right: a hover-fly, a large beetle of the 'longhorn' variety and some tiny weevils, none of which I can positively identify!
One of the many Gall Wasps (Diplolepis rosae) lays its egg on the briar roses. When the little white grub which is the larva of the wasp hatches it needs protection so it causes the plant to grow the spectacular fibrous "galls" popularly called Robin's Pincushions
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I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.A Midsummer Night's Dream. Act 2 Scene 1
Even more gorgeously scented than our wild roses, and almost as beautiful is the Honeysuckle or Woodbine (Lonicera periclymenum)
Like the roses, this plant likes to have its roots in the shade, where the soil is moist, and its flowers up where the light is stronger. This it acheives by vigorously climbing, twisting and winding around trees and shrubs with its fast-growing stems. These turn woody, gradually strangling the trees it climbs on. Little real damage is done, but sometimes one finds a young ash or hazel stem distorted into an elaborate corksrew by the constriction of 'woodbine'.
Its tubular flowers are full of sugary nectar and its scent is intense, especially on summer evenings, when the sweet, spicy smell hangs in the still air, attracting moths and other night-flying insects to polinate it.
Like the rose blooms, the florets fade and drop fast ('So quick bright things come to confusion') eventually forming a small bunch of green berries which ripen into glossy, sticky, bright red fruits which blackbirds and thrushes love to feed on.
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Right now there are no ripe berries. But Song Thrushes have growing broods to feed, and so the snails come in for a hammering....literally! The Hedge Snails seem an especial favourite and the Thrushes spend a lot of time whacking them on pebbles to crack the shells open.
There are two species of Hedge-Snail: the Black-lipped (Cepaea nemoralis) and the White-lipped (C.hortensis).Both are extremely variable: sometimes yellow, sometimes pink or even dark brown and with a pattern ranging from dense spiral stripes to completely unstriped.Those in the forest are generally pinkish, whereas the surrounding grasslands (including my garden!) have many more of the yellow kind.
You'll often find the smashed shells on the forest paths, and a Song Thrush will sometimes use a particular "anvil stone" over and over again, leaving a little pile of cracked shells.
"Twitchers' Corner" Rarity Bird List ( PLEASE CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING SPECIAL YOU'VE SEEN!)
No new rarities spotted this month, although the little egret has been putting in regular appearances along the river wey and up at Wrecclesham. I wonder if there is a breeding pair?
March : Red kite
April: Golden pheasant
May: Little egret
June: Little egret
December: Little Egrets again in River Wey
April: Treecreeper near Bentley Station
Do drop us an e-mail if you've spotted any rarities
Alice Holt Forest lies between Farham in West Surrey and Alton in North East Hampshire.Today's Forest probably originated as trees gradually colonised this part of southern Britain after the last Ice Age (around 7000 years ago) Oak eventually emerged as the main tree species. Man has dwelt in the forest precincts from Lower Palaeolithic ("Old Stone age") times. The Romans used the local clay for large scale production of pottery in kilns fired by the abundant wood, but this sloping ground with wet clay below and stony gravels on the higher tops has never been attractive for farming, helping to keep the site largely wooded . During the Anglo-Saxon and Medieval periods the area was preserved for hunting by, among others the Bishops of Winchester, later passing to the King and becoming a Royal Forest. The woods have been managed by man for centuries and in the 18th Century provided oak for the Navy. The Forest was "enclosed" in 1812, taking away many of the rights of the local "commoners". Conifers were introduced to the Forest in the latter part of the 19th Century and there are many fine mature specimens. Alice Holt Forest was acquired by the Forestry Commission in 1924, and a Research Station set up there in 1946. In common with so many ancient Forests under the Forestry Commission's management, more and more became given over to conifers in the post-War drive for State-subsidised timber production. The Commission and their commercial arm Forest Enterprise have however maintained a good mix of conifers and broadleaved trees within which blocks are periodically felled and replanted. Pressure to find alternative income and to exploit the recreational potential of the woods has led to an increasing provision of organised family leisure facilities (Including soon-to-open restaurant and "Go Ape" adventure) at the Visitor Centre near Dockenfield . However the rest of Forest retains much of its peace and charm. It is accessible to visitors on foot, cycle and horseback and is a haven for a huge variety of wildlife including important rarities and nationally threatened species such as dormice, hobbies, nightjars and purple emperor butterflies. It is designated as a Site of Interest for Nature Conservation (SINC), close to the planned South Downs National Park (Into which many people hoped it could be incorporated) and adjacent to the Bentley Station Meadow, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
As this short history of Alice Holt Forest shows, the woodland is not just any woodland but a historic 'Ancient Woodland'. If you're thinking "..but how is a Forestry Commission pine plantation 'Ancient' woodland?"....well Ancient Woodlands is defined as
"... land continuously wooded since 1600AD..... that is able to support more threatened species than any other UK habitat. The unique species interactions that occur within ancient woodlands have developed over hundreds of years ..... These eco-systems cannot be re-created and with only just over 2% of the land area in Great Britain remaining preserving the remaining areas is vital." (Source: Woodland Trust)
.....was formed to fight a the threat some years ago that a "Center Parcs"-style holiday camp might be built in the Forest. The Group continues to be the most active and authoritative group monitoring planning proposals that affect the Forest. This website is independent from AHAG but we fully support their aims.
Contact Chairman, Colin Hall at CHall3422@AOL.com
Other oganisations concerned with conserving ancient woodlands such as Alice Holt
The Woodland Trust is the UK's foremost
charity devoted to the conservation of native and broadleaved woodland.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is the County wildlife trust owning and managing many important sites and campaigning folr protection for important and threatened habitats such as Langstone Harbour.
>>Visit HIOW Wildlife Trust's website
Other Useful Links
Official Forestry Commission Site (Main Home Page)
Official Forestry Commission Site (Alice Holt Section)
Bentley & Binsted's shared parish website
Hampshire & IOW Butterfly Conservation
has a good website with in-depth feature on the Bentley Station Meadow nature reserve
Farnham & District Ramblers Association
interesting site run by Woolmer Forest Heritage Society full of historical info about Alice Holt's "near neighbour" Royal Forest
Download site for Walks in Hampshire
Excellent site about the River Wey, it's history, wildlife, places of interest etc
Stubbs Farm , tranquil local accommodation
Dragon Lodge , self catering iaccommodation at the distinctive Dragon House, Frensham
Mike Young's New Site More brilliant photos from local wildlife photographer
Sharon Young's Website featuring the work of this local artist
CONTACTING US
By Email: info@aliceholt.org
We would be DELIGHTED to get more comments, opinions, feedback and so on about our website! We'll do our best to answer if you ask for as response, and to pass on your e-mails to other people where relevant. But please bear with us as we're normal people with jobs and families too!
IMPORTANT: If your communication is of a sensitive nature, please make plain if YOU WANT COMMENTS TO BE TREATED IN STRICT CONFIDENCE or if you WANT YOUR COMMENTS TO BE PUBLICISED ANONYMOUSLY. We will of course respect that.
Your e-mail address
or other contact details will be ONLY be used by us to contact you about
issues directly related to Alice Holt Forest.
If you prefer not to be contacted at all, please say so.
Contacting us by Post
www.aliceholt.org,
1 Blacknest Cottages,
Blacknest Road,
Blacknest,
Alton,
Hampshire. GU34 4PZ
