King's Wood, Heath & Reach NNR
The reserve is an important area of ancient semi-natural woodland. In early mediaeval times it was part of the royal manorial estate of Leighton, hence its name 'King's Wood'.
County: Bedfordshire
Main habitats: Woodland
Area: 63 Ha
Site map: Nature on the Map
Although most NNRs are managed by Natural England, 88 are wholly or partly managed by other bodies approved by Council, under Section 35 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
King's Wood, Heath & Reach NNR is jointly owned and managed by The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire County Council and Lafarge Aggregates. Additional information about the reserve is available from the Greensand Trust.
The site lies on an unusual mixture of soils. Birch, sessile oak, bracken and heather grow in the sandy areas, with pedunculate oak, hornbeam and dog's mercury on the clay. There are small-leaved lime trees here and a large population of lily-of-the-valley. The site is also home to rare mosses and fungi and there are recent records of the purple emperor butterfly here.
Location and access
The reserve is 0.5 km north of Heath and Reach village on the outskirts of Leighton Buzzard, two km to the south.
By car, access is via minor roads from the A5, A4146 and A4012.
The nearest train station is in Leighton Buzzard. For details of bus services from Leighton Buzzard to Heath and Reach, go to the Travel Search website.
The reserve is on the route of a major trail, the Greensand Ridge Way.
Facilities
The nearest toilet, refreshment and parking facilities are found at the Stockgrove Country Park. The Park is accessed via the minor road from Heath and Reach to Great Brickhill, this road also marking the reserve's southern boundary.
Interpretation panels and leaflets are available for visitor information.
