Earth Trust - Interactive Map

Earth Trust Centre

The Earth Trust Centre is our HQ and includes the office, Fison Barn and our Learning Barn.

Earth Trust Centre

Our Centre is the hub of the Earth Trust Farm and a great place to start your local exploration. Head across the road to the Clumps or down towards Broad Arboretum.

What can I see?

The Earth Trust Centre includes
- the office;
- the Learning Barn, where our educational activities and Explorer Birthday Parties take place;
- Fison Barn, available to hire for weddings, celebrations and corporate events;
- Poem Tree Café, which is only open during our larger festivals and events

What’s special about this place?

We are in the throes of transformation here! Visit the Gateway page on our website to find out more.
Our recent archaeology digs have unearthed some amazing finds here: an impressive Roman villa, an older Iron Age village and a corn-drying kiln which may have been part of a maltings, suggesting that our predecessors were making beer on site!
Volunteers play a key role in looking after the Centre – managing the gardens and helping with essential maintenance.

Earth Trust Centre

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

Usually Monday to Friday 9am-5pm but currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parking:

Please use the Clumps car park (always open) if visiting the rest of the site.

Dog Walking:

Dogs allowed around site when on the lead

Toilets:

Yes: outdoor toilet block next to the office building, open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

Wittenham Clumps

Inhabited since the Bronze Age, Wittenham Clumps are one of South
Oxfordshire’s most iconic landmarks.

Wittenham Clumps

The much-loved Wittenham Clumps are one of South Oxfordshire’s most iconic landmarks, made up of Round Hill and Castle Hill. Enjoy a figure of eight walk around the hilltops or head between them and down into Little Wittenham Wood.

What can I see?

Majestic red kites swooping overhead, carpets of wildflowers beneath your feet, magnificent autumnal colours and wonderful wintry views.
The curved ramparts of Castle Hill, dating from the Iron Age.
The ‘clumps’ of beech trees which crown both hills and give them their name - these are the oldest known planted hilltop beeches in England, dating back over 300 years.
A poem by local poet Joseph Tubb - he carved a wonderful poem in the bark of a beech tree on Castle Hill in the 1840s. Sadly, the Poem Tree fell several years ago but a nearby plaque allows visitors to feel the passion that this Victorian vandal had for the local landscape and its history.

What’s special about this place?

The Clumps are steeped in Roman, Bronze Age and Iron Age history.
Because many of the beech trees are reaching the end of their lives and with climate change threatening the long term viability of this species in this location, we have been planting hornbeam and lime to ensure there are still clumps on the Clumps for years to come.
Paul Nash, landscape artist, was inspired by the Clumps and painted them and the view from them, many times during his career.
The grasslands and wildflower meadows are managed through haycutting and grazing with cattle; this regime creates the perfect conditions for wildflowers to thrive, in turn providing habitats for invertebrates, birds and other wildlife.

Wittenham Clumps

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

Always open

Parking:

Dedicated car park, always open

Dog Walking:

Dogs allowed when on the lead, cattle often graze here so please take extra care and look out for signage

Toilets:

Nearest toilets are at the Earth Trust Centre: outdoor toilet block is normally open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm but the Centre is currently closed.

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

Broad Arboretum

Situated on the Earth Trust Farm, Broad Arboretum is a living library
home to every tree and shrub species native to Oxfordshire.

Broad Arboretum

Broad Arboretum is a living library of every tree and shrub species native to Oxfordshire.

What can I see?

49 native species, along with recent introductions such as walnut, sycamore and chestnut.
Wildlife enjoying the haven of trees, shrubs and hedgerows - look out for yellowhammer and fieldfare, and listen for the call of the corn bunting which sounds like chinking keys.
Beautiful colours - the best time of year to visit the arboretum is in autumn.

What’s special about this place?

The arboretum was named after Ken Broad of the Oxfordshire Woodland Group (OWG). Ken was the first Oxfordshire Woodland Project Manager and worked in partnership with the Earth Trust to design and plant this collection of trees.
We keep the trees healthy by coppicing and laying the hedgerows in the winter.

Broad Arboretum

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

Always open

Parking:

The nearest car park is at the Earth Trust Centre but that is currently closed; use the Clumps car park or Neptune Wood car park, both are always open.

Dog Walking:

Dogs allowed when on the lead

Toilets:

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

Neptune Wood

A majestic woodland in the making, Neptune Wood comprises 10,000 oak trees
planted by the local community to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar.

Neptune Wood

Neptune Wood was created in 2005 as part of a nation-wide project by the Woodland Trust to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Nelson. The wood is named after HMS Neptune.

What can I see?

Over 10,000 oak trees - planted to represent the tens of thousands of oak trees used to construct all the ships of the British fleet.
A series of maritime-themed willow sculptures - found in the open area between the car park and the wood.
Every species of tree that was used in a ship of Nelson’s time – planted in the arboretum area adjacent to the oaks.

What’s special about this place?

All of the trees in Neptune Wood were planted by local people, including 750 local school children.
The arboretum area includes Alder, which helped to keep gunpowder dry, and Rowan which was used to make bowls, hoops and barrels.
8,000 oak trees in the wood are a provenance trial, a research experiment looking at how trees are adapted to different environmental conditions. The trees came from Great Britain, France and Spain – all the countries involved in the Battle of Trafalgar.

Neptune Wood

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

Always open

Parking:

Dedicated car park, always open

Dog Walking:

Dogs allowed when on the lead; dog poo bin located in the car park

Toilets:

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

Paradise Wood

Earth Trust’s forestry jewel: Paradise Wood is home to vital research
with the largest collection of hardwood timber trials in the country.

Paradise Wood

Paradise Wood is our national research woodland. This incredible resource is a living genetic library and the largest collection of hardwood timber trials in the country.

What can I see?

In order to preserve the scientific trials, Paradise Wood is not open to the general public. We do occasionally have open days and tours, so please check the What’s On page on our website to see if anything is coming up.

What’s special about this place?

Earth Trust is championing a new sustainable model for our trees and forests – integrated management which balances their value for people and wildlife, as well as for economic, sustainable timber production.
The research here is primarily focused on high quality hardwood timber production. There are many hardwood tree species grown in Britain, but there are five species in our tree breeding program: ash, beech, cherry, oak and walnut, chosen because of their commercial importance and their ability to grow well in mixtures and on a variety of sites.
We also undertake additional research into the environmental and economic aspects of commercial broadleaved forestry.

Paradise Wood

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

No public access

Parking:

The nearest car park is Neptune Wood, which is always open.

Dog Walking:

Dogs not allowed

Toilets:

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

Little Wittenham Wood

Designated as a SSSI and SAC, Little Wittenham Wood is a unique and treasured woodland habitat.

Little Wittenham Wood

Little Wittenham Wood, all dappled sunlight and wide open rides, is one of Europe’s most important sites for wildlife and designated as both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

What can I see?

Ponds - home to dragonflies and damselflies and great crested newts, who use them to breed but spend the majority of time in the surrounding woodland.
Kingfishers or otters from the bird hide by the Thames.
Protected species such as the firecrest and red kite.

What’s special about this place?

Earth Trust uses traditional management techniques such as coppicing, which involves cutting species such as hazel and spindle to their base in the winter time, to create a diverse structure to the woodland habitat as well as producing materials used in hedge laying and hurdle making.
Each year sections of the rides are coppiced in winter, helping to create open sunny glades and provide perfect habitats for butterflies, other invertebrates and woodland birds.

Little Wittenham Wood

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

Always open

Parking:

Nearest car park is the Clumps car park (always open)

Dog Walking:

Dogs allowed when on the lead

Toilets:

No (nearest are the outdoor toilets at the Earth Trust Centre, open Monday-Friday 9am-5pm)

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

Abbey Fishponds

A tiny wetland gem hidden in the heart of Abingdon, Abbey Fishponds
is home to a thriving population of amphibians and other wildlife.

Abbey Fishponds

Nestled amongst the houses in east Abingdon, Abbey Fishponds is a small nature reserve of around 7 hectares. The site is leased by the Vale of White Horse District Council and managed by Earth Trust.

What can I see?

Water - being a wetland, water is a primary feature here so there is a brook, ponds, seasonal pools, and wet grassland.
Other habitats - reedbeds, sedge beds, sycamore woodland, fen and scrub.

What is special about this place?

It may seem small and enclosed but this place is home to a wealth of wildlife, including over 450 plants, mammals, birds, invertebrates and amphibians, 21 species of butterfly and 200 species of flowering plant!
Its gets its name from the embankment that runs east-west through the reserve; it was first thought this was a medieval dam built to create a fishpond for Abingdon Abbey. However, recent archaeological work suggests that it is probably the remains of a Roman causeway. This area is known locally as ‘daisy bank’.
We have a dedicated volunteer group who work hard to maintain the different habitats and keep the site accessible.

Abbey Fishponds

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

Always open

Parking:

Limited residential parking only - please park carefully and considerately not blocking access for residents

Dog Walking:

Dogs allowed when on the lead; dog bins onsite

Toilets:

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

Wallingford Castle Meadows

A Green Flag site, Wallingford Castle Meadows is rich in wildlife and
heritage as it contains the remains of a medieval castle.

Wallingford Castle Meadows

Wallingford Castle Meadows includes the remains of one of the greatest medieval castles in England, along with floodplain meadows beside the Thames and a Victorian grotto. Earth Trust manages the site on behalf of South Oxfordshire District Council.

What can I see?

Incredibly important wildlife habitats - deadwood piles provide homes and food for a range of invertebrates, which in turn, are a food source for woodpeckers, other birds and five species of bat.
The massive earthworks of the castle remains - capable of evoking an extraordinary sense of history.
Two floodplain meadows - a rare and threatened habitat in the Thames Valley. These meadows have lost a lot of their species richness and we are hoping that by reverting to traditional hay meadow management we can encourage some of the typical plants, insects, and birds to return.

What is special about this place?

The small pond which was the site of a Victorian grotto. In February the beautiful display of snowdrops heralds the first early signs of spring.
An expanding clump of snake’s head fritillary, one of the UK’s rarest native meadow flowers. Look out for the purple haze of its flowers between March and April.
William the Conqueror and his army crossed the Thames at Wallingford in 1066 and ordered the building of the castle. Over the next six centuries it dominated the Thames Valley, standing firm through two civil wars and several royal intrigues!
Earth Trust is encouraging water voles to make a home here, where conditions are ideal. Water voles are under threat nationally and need our help.

Wallingford Castle Meadows

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

Always open; please note access through Castle Gardens gate is limited: April-September: 10am-4pm on weekdays and 10am-5.30pm during the weekend; October-March: 10am-3pm.

Parking:

Limited parking on Cemetery Lane (nearest postcode OX10 8LG), please park considerately. Alternatively, park in the Wallingford town centre car parks.

Dog Walking:

Dogs allowed when on the lead; cattle often graze here so please take extra care

Toilets:

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

Thrupp Lake

Thrupp Lake, one of our community reserves, is a wetland
wildlife haven transformed from its industrial past.

Thrupp Lake

Thrupp Lake is a watery oasis on the outskirts of Abingdon, part of the Radley Lakes complex. Earth Trust manages the lake and some of the surrounding conservation areas on behalf of landowners RWE Generation.

What can I see?

Blossoming trees, gathering herons, hatching cygnets and darting kingfishers – in spring.
The lake shimmering with emergent damselflies and darting dragonflies – during summer.
Spectacular colours and gracefully gliding swans - in autumn.
Chilly mist or snow transforming the lake into a magical setting thronging with a multitude of overwintering wetland birds - in winter.

What’s special about this place?

During the early summer there is also the opportunity to enjoy common spotted orchids and white helleborines, particularly in St David’s Meadow. This transformation of this area from scrubland has been one of our greatest achievements on site.
There is a circular walk around the lake, a gentle stroll of around 1.7km/1 mile, with a wooden boardwalk across the North West corner that gives you the chance to walk over water.
One of the most exciting recent sightings has been otters! These magnificent mammals have been seen in the lake, though you’ll need to very quiet to catch a glimpse of them.
The Radley Lakes complex is an area of former gravel workings. In 2008, two of the lakes were saved from destruction after a long community-led campaign by the Save Radley Lakes group. This group became the Friends of Radley Lakes who are now integral to helping look after this place.

Thrupp Lake

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

Always open

Parking:

Limited parking on a track, please park considerately not blocking access

Dog Walking:

Dogs allowed when on the lead

Toilets:

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

Riverside Meadows

Beautiful wildflower habitats on the bank of the Thames, Riverside
Meadows is a great place to spot kingfishers and Daubenton’s bats.

Riverside Meadows

This stunning meadow running alongside the east bank of the Thames in Wallingford. Earth Trust manages this place on behalf of South Oxfordshire District Council.

What can I see?

Wildflowers such as oxeye daisy, common knapweed and bird’s foot trefoil during the summer months.
Serotine and Daubenton’s bats foraging over the river – if you are out and about at dusk.

What’s special about this place?

Historical and archaeological investigations have revealed Riverside Meadows to be a significant location for settlement, communication, ritual and strategic activity for at least 3,000 years. The whole site is on the Sites and Monuments Register.
The restored wildflower habitats at Riverside Meadows and rare lowland floodplain meadows - annual hay cuts in July, followed by cattle grazing until November are an important management activity to encourage wildflower growth and restore a habitat which is now threatened in Oxfordshire.
A former World War II pillbox has been converted into a bat hibernaculum - the partially blocked gun slots, terracotta roofing tiles and a blanket hung on the walls create perfect cracks and crevices for roosting bats.

Riverside Meadows

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

Always open

Parking:

Very limited residential parking, please park carefully and considerately not blocking access for residents

Dog Walking:

Dogs allowed when on the lead; cattle often graze here so please take extra care

Toilets:

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

Mowbray Fields

Mowbray Fields is an oasis of nature on the outskirts of Didcot;
don’t miss the rare orchids in early summer.

Mowbray Fields

Mowbray Fields is a tranquil nature reserve nestling in the heart of Didcot, perfect family picnics and nature walks. South Oxfordshire District Council owns the site and Earth Trust manage it on their behalf.

What can I see?

The wildflower meadow - sown in 2001, it has transformed the former grassland into a rich flowering meadow, providing a haven for over 200 species of invertebrates, as well as mammals and birds.
Ponds, rough grassland, marsh and wet woodland right up close - using the raised causeway and viewing platform in the middle of the reserve.

What’s special about this place?

Common spotted and southern marsh orchids in spring and early summer.
Much of the management activity here revolves around maintaining a balance between open and covered areas – a mosaic of habitats. This includes coppicing the willow, cutting back the grassland and creating piles of deadwood.

Mowbray Fields

Planning a Visit?

Opening Times:

Always open

Parking:

Limited residential parking only; please park carefully and considerately not blocking access for residents

Dog Walking:

Dogs allowed when on lead, bogs bins onsite

Toilets:

More Info Planning
A Visit?Image Gallery

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Abbey FishpondsBroad ArboretumEarth Trust Centre
Little Wittenham WoodMowbray FieldsNeptune Wood
Paradise WoodRiverside MeadowsThrupp Lake
Wallingford Castle MeadowsWittenham Clumps

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