Phil and I are planning to visit every BBOWT nature reserve. After a quick look through their website, we decided on Whitecross Green Wood. It boasts an abundance of butterflies in the summer months and we weren’t disappointed. They were dancing around all over, enjoying the warm summer sun.

Getting to the reserve is pretty straight forward. There’s a small cottage opposite the turning for the reserve and there are two gates that need opening. Once inside, there’s a map and a visitors book, which is well worth having a look at, as people record the different things they’ve seen so it’s a helpful guide for things to look out for. Because there are so many varieties of butterflies, the site is at risk of trampling, as people try to get close to see and take pictures of them. (I totally understand this, as my photos of the butterflies from a distance were so awful, I had to delete them!) However, this is a real problem, as it’s putting the habitat at risk so it’s important to stick to the mown path, which we did.

There’s a nice circular walk around the reserve, taking in woodland, views out over the countryside and lots of great little habitats. The walk is just over 2 miles and is easy to follow as it’s signposted with little badger plaques. Poppy loved the walk as there were lots of smells for her to track. We’ll definitely be returning to Whitecross Green as I’d like to see how it changes with the seasons.

The Walk: The walk is fairly easy and straightforward, with only a slight incline in the woods.
Cost: Free
Car Park: There’s a decent sized car park at the start of the reserve, which has quite a few spaces.
Refreshments: No.
Toilets: No.

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