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Bradfield Woods National Nature Reserve is a wonderful place to visit any time of the year, steeped in history and brimming with wildlife.  Come and visit a wood managed in a traditional way for the benefit of wildlife.

• Our new green oak eco centre is now open at Bradfield Woods -read more 
• Suffolk Wildlife Trust is thrilled to have completed the purchase of the last 16 acres of ancient woodland at Bradfield Woods - read more

• Bradfield Woods - Historically rich for people and wildife - read more
• We urgently need volunteers to help in our new visitors centre at Bradfield - read more

Bradfield woods is a working wood that is unique as it has been under continuous traditional coppice management since 1252, fulfilling local needs for firewood and hazel products. It is one of Britain’s finest ancient woodlands and is a glorious haven for wildlife.

Coppice

Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management where stems are cut at ground level promoting vigorous re-growth. This provides the sustainable supply of straight poles used for many purposes including thatching, hurdle making, basket weaving and firewood. The process of coppicing not only prolongs the life of a tree, it also produces a wealth of sustainable materials. The poles are cut off at ground level giving rise to a 'coppcie stool'. Some Ash coppice stools in Bradifeld Wood are thought to be over 1000 years old.

Coppice products from Bradfield Wood are still sold today for thatching and hurdle making. Other products sold from the wood include rustic ash poles for garden structures, bean poles, peas sticks, rotted sawdust soil conditioner and firewood.

Click to view our range of coppice products 

Wildlife

As the coppice shoots regenerate, their dense bushy growth provides excellent cover for migrant songbirds such as garden warbler, blackcap and willow warbler. Mammals including the stoat, yellow-necked mouse, dormouse and badger are also resident. On sunny summer days the sheltered rides create the prefect habitat for butterflies, of which there are 24 species. Of special note is the white admiral butterfly which can be seen sipping nectar from the flowers on bramble or look up into the top of an oak tree to catch a glimpse of a purple hairstreak.

The network of sunny wide open rides and newly coppiced areas mean that Bradfield Woods is a botanist dream, with over 370 plant species recorded.  Highlights include nationally rare oxlip, bluebells, wild garlic and early purple orchids early spring with cow wheat, betony, devils bit scabious and swathes of agrimony later through the summer months.  If you visit in late august you will notice the huge task of cutting and raking the 2 km of rides.  Cutting and raking of the rides is essential in maintaining the wide range of species found here at Bradfield Woods.  

Arround the edge of the wood you can see an ancient ditch and bank system which marks the boundary of the wood.  Along the eastern and southeastern boundary you will see some pollarded oaks and ash.  Pollarding is the traditional technique of cutting stems above browsing height and were often used to mark boundaries.  As with coppicing this helps to prolong a trees life.  Bradfield woods is predominantly an oak wood with a hazel coppice understory.  If you look carefully there are other anceint woodland species of note includng small leaved lime, dog wood and spindle. 

Visit Bradfield Wood

The reserve is open dawn until dusk and has good parking facilities. The Bradfield Centre is open from 6 April until October half-term - 10am - 5pm. The best way to enjoy this reserve is to explore the many rides. There are 3 coloured trails of different lengths, just pick up a trail guide under the notice board near to the entrance or at the visitor centre when you arrive.

Please note that Bradfield Woods is referred to as Felsham Hall Wood on the OS map

Click to download our Bradfield Woods trail guide

Nearby Trust reserves: Bulls Wood

Early Purple Orchids

Dormouse

Coppice stool

Special dates for your diaries

Volunteering opportunities at Bradfield Woods

Creating a Living Landscape for Suffolk

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