Coleorton Wood

Coleorton Wood is a six-hectare mixed, young woodland planted during the early days of The National Forest on the site of the former "Bug and Wink" colliery. It is owned and managed by Coleorton Parish Council.

Location:
The wood is accessed from Pitt Lane, off Coleorton Moor, Coleorton, Leicestershire, LE67 8FS. Map >>  It’s an ideal starting point for the Coleorton Heritage Trail.

Facilities:

There are several seats and picnic tables through-out the wood. Please respect the wood and its residents and take home your rubbish. Dogs are welcome but please keep them under control. Please clean up after your dog and take it home with you as there are no dog waste bins in the wood.

Food and drink is available from the 4 pubs in Coleorton. See details for opening times and menus >>

History:

The wood was planted in 1991 by Leicestershire County Council as one of the first new plantings in the National Forest, sponsored by The Leicester Mercury's 'Woody Tree' campaign and by The Royal Mail through employee contributions, as well as donations from other local businesses.

It was planted on the site of the former Coleorton Colliery (known locally as the 'Bug & Wink' Colliery), which produced coal from 1875 until 1933. The site was returned to agricultural use after demolition in 1975 and the two mine shafts capped and sealed. As a result, prior to planting, the majority of the site was fertilised and ripped to alleviate compaction and to promote root penetration of the layer of demolition rubble and colliery spoil below the thin topsoil. The only exception to this was an area named as Post Office Wood, which was planted on agricultural soils, in a field to the west of the brook course.

Ownership was transferred to Coleorton Parish Council in January 2012 and has been managed mainly by the Coleorton & new Lount Volunteer group. (About the Group >>)

Management Plan:

A Management Plan was drawn up in early 2013 following the transfer of ownership to the Parish Council. That plan has been successfully implemented over the last 5 years. Much of the maintenance of the woods, hedges and ponds is undertaken by the Coleorton and New Lount Volunteer Group. They also build new seats and picnic tables and nesting boxes. The Heritage Warden reports include details of work done.

It's now time to draw up a plan for the next 5 years. A draft plan is proposed and being considered by the Council and The Forestry Commission.

Take a look at the draft plans and if you have any comments please email Andrew Hogsden our parish clerk at parishclerk@coleorton.org.uk. The report and maps are in pdf format.

• Draft management plan
• Map 1
• Map 2
• Map 3

Coleorton Wood is within The National Forest and we have been able to obtain some funding from them to help with the work and purchase of necessary supplies. The National Forest has produced a Case Study of Coleorton Wood for its Forest & Woodland Management Programme. Read the National Forest Case Study here >>

In April the Coleorton & New Lount Volunteer Group planted a new
hawthorn hedge along the boundary.                    Coleorton Wood - thinning Sept 2014
         Newly layed hedges in Coleorton Wood May 2011

---

Coleorton Wood was officially handed over to Coleorton Parish by Leicester County Council on 21st January 2012. A management group has been set up to plan and oversee the wood and ensure it provides a resource for parishioners and wildlife for generations to come.

 

At the handover ceremony were:

• Jackie Dickinson – Chair of LCC – Officially handed the wood over to Coleorton Parish Council
• Andrew Bridgen – our MP
• Nigel Smith – Chair NWLDC
• Paul Brader – Chair Coleorton Parish Council
• Grainne Kelly - Coleorton parish councillor who has worked tirelessly to achieve this objective. She thanked a lot of people for helping her to negotiate the purchase of the wood - and she was thanked for all the work she had put into making the purchase happen.
• Many parishioners young and old
• Members of the Coleorton & New Lount Volunteer Group who have really made a difference to the wood over the last year
• and four-legged friends

Coleorton Conservation Group

The Coleorton & New Lount Volunteer Group has done a lot of work at Coleorton Wood to preserve the wood for human and visitors and the woods inhabitants. Take a look at their regular reports to see what they have achieved >>

More about the group and how to join >>

Volunteers enjoy a cuppa after a hard morning’s work.