A group of 8 people standing in the clearing of a woodland in summer

Ten Acre Wood

Photo credit: Pete Salter

A woodpecker with a black topped head and wings with a red undercoat stands on a moss covered branch

Ten Acre Wood and Meadows

A century-old oak plantation over hazel coppice, providing a marvellous source of berries for birds in Hillingdon.

Location

Charville Lane

Hillingdon

UB4 8PA

Know before you go

Size

11 hectares

Parking information

Parking is available in Charville Lane

Grazing animals

Cattle

Access

Either walk into the reserve via Gutteridge Wood and Meadows or enter from the south at Charville Lane. The U7 bus stops in Charville Lane, while the 90 bus stops in Kingshill Avenue. Hillingdon (Piccadilly line) is the nearest station, walking via Gutterdige Wood.

There are slopes at Ten Acre Wood and Meadows where the path crosses the flood-control bund. Gates and barriers excluding illegal motorcycle use mean the site is inaccessible to wheelchairs, and this is also the case on the Hillingdon Trail. The main path is well surfaced, but other parts can be muddy. Parking is available in Charville Lane.

Dogs

On a lead

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times

Best time to visit

April to July

About the reserve

An area of traditional countryside character, where ancient woodland and wildflower meadows meet. Ten Acre Wood and Meadows in Hillingdon is a haven for birds as hawthorn and blackthorn grow beneath the trunks of old oaks, while meadows, marsh and a small pond add variety. The meadows range from dry to wet, and Yeading Brook runs along the western side of the woodland in the north and the eastern edge in the south.

A visit to Ten Acre Wood can form part of a day out to three adjacent nature reserves - Gutteridge Wood and Meadows joins to the north and Yeading Brook Meadows is a short walk to the south.

History of Ten Acre Wood and Meadows

The woodland has largely developed from a plantation of oaks, planted in the late 19th century; much of the canopy stands over an understorey of hazel, with hawthorn, blackthorn and field maple. North, Long and Cowslip Meadows on its western fringes, blooming with meadowsweet and sneezewort, are surviving examples of old clay meadows. A dedicated volunteer group have worked tirelessly to conserve this area for more than 30 years and persuaded landowner Hillingdon Council to designate Ten Acre Wood and Meadows as part of Yeading Woods Local Nature Reserve in 1990, which also includes adjacent Gutteridge Wood and Meadows.

Management of Ten Acre Wood and Meadows

Coppicing at Ten Acre Wood and Meadows – which was reinstated in 1983 - rejuvenates the hazel and ground flora and creates woodland glades. River improvements along Yeading Brook have reduced shading from overhanging vegetation and created a more natural river flow with brash berms, helping the river sustain more invertebrate and fish species.