5a North Downs woodland - lower path

In this area the southern slope of the North Downs is thickly wooded and dissected by numerous paths running west to east along the line of the hills. These paths are likely to have been created in neolithic times but they were used extensively in medieval times by pilgrims travelling to visit the tomb of Thomas Becket in Canterbury.

The woodland is managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust and on entering the woodland there is a warning sign on a finger post explaining that many of the ash trees are suffering from ‘ash dieback’ disease. Looking up into the canopy you will see branches with no leaves in some of the taller trees. It is recommended not walk in the woodland in windy weather as branches may fall onto the paths.

At the finger post the path splits into a lower and upper paths designated 5a and 5b on the nature trail.

The lower path is flatter, it passes through mixed deciduous (ash, hazel, field maple, sessile oak and sycamore) and evergreen yew tree woodland with a ground cover of dog’s mercury and ivy, before entering woodland dominated by yew with little or no ground cover. Towards the end of the path there is staircase which rises to meet the descending upper path.