- Sleningford Road, Shipley
- Open during daylight hours on public rights of way
- Ancient Woodland
- Wildlife
Sleningford Road, Shipley, UK
Access
On foot via public right of way from the southern end of Sleningford Road, the A650 and Branksome Drive.
Quick description
An ancient woodland with difficult access on foot by narrow footpaths.
What’s there?
Hirst Wood South (2.2ha), along with Hirst Wood North, once formed a larger area of ancient woodland that ran down the valley side from the A650 to the River Aire and included what is now Nab Wood Cemetery. The southern part is enclosed by the A650, housing and Nab Wood Cemetery. Ownership and management are split between Bradford Council (red) and a private owner. The woodland has reclaimed a late Victorian burial ground.
Hirst Wood South (Council in red)
History
The Aire Valley has been an area of human activity since the Neolithic period, with some archaeological evidence to support this in and around Hirst Wood.
Natural history
The woodland is designated an Ancient Woodland based on records that show continuous tree cover since 1640. However, as the name Hirst indicates (Old Norse for “wooded hill”), this valley side has likely been wooded for much longer. Ancient, deciduous woodland is considered Priority Habitat and is home to a variety of native trees (Oak, Birch), native plants (wood sorrel, bluebell, heather and bilberry), and native invertebrates, mammals, amphibians and birds.