An ancient woodland hidden from public view and accessed via a path from Appleton village. You would never know this even existed unless you have local knowledge, luckily we received a tip off!
This area of land has been wooded for over 400 years and was purchased by the Vale of White Horse District Council in 1998 – it is now managed and maintained by a group of local volunteers. They are clearly doing an excellent job as wildlife surveys have shown that Besselsleigh Wood is thriving: 19 different species of butterfly, including 3 rare types, 175 species of moth, 45 species of bird and 60 identifiable fungi have been recorded in the past few years.
Boardwalks and bridges connect the 10 hectare landscape as it changes from Oak, Ash and Hazel Woodland to bracken then Sycamore Woodland. Little ones will love trotting over the water and stopping to peer in, some parts shallow enough for a splash. We followed a circular route and stopped off along the way to hide in dens and balance on fallen trees. Dogs, a Shetland pony, a horse and donkey were befriended along the way, although we are always wary of a Shetland after having had too many sneaky bites off them. Cheeky little things!
Make sure you stop in at the Appleton Community Shop before you set off on your journey; these community ventures always seem to hit the spot with the food and drinks. We had a hot pasty and sausage rolls and washed it down with a nice cup of tea. Real food for real adventurers!
