Weston Woods covers an area of 130 hectares dominating
the northern skyline of Weston-super-Mare.
Situated along a limestone ridge it was once grassland, grazed
for centuries until its Victorian landowner planted the area as
conifer woodland in the 1830s.
These trees were then all cut down and used as timber for
shoring up the trenches on the Western Front in the First World
War.
Little woodland management subsequently took place until
recently when tree felling work started and this is now beginning
to reverse the problems that have developed during this period. The
next generation of trees now have enough light to grow and a
greater diversity of plants exist which have increased wildlife
throughout the woodland.
The woodland management is recognised by the
Forestry Stewardship Council as
being responsibly managed and the whole woodland is a
Local Nature
Reserve.
There is an Iron Age hillfort at the western tip of the woodland
where the defensive ramparts can be clearly seen around its eastern
and southern edges. The natural cliff on the northern edge offers
fine views over Sand Bay towards Wales. There are also about 90
pits dug into the ground which were used to store grain 2000 years
ago.
A level access path measuring about 1.5 miles has recently been
constructed linking the main entrance at Worlebury Hill Road with
the Hill fort.
For more information contact
our Streets and Open
Spaces team.