Eaves Wood is a protected woodland and Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Arnside and Silverdale National Landscape, known for its wide variety of plant species and the presence of red squirrels. The dominant trees are ash and hazel. Other tree species present include sessile oak, small leaved lime, wild service tree and Lancashire whitebeam. Yew is also abundant.
More than 250 species of fungi have been recorded here, hopefully some of them will be starting to show themselves by mid-September.
Please note that this is a car trip rather than a coach trip because the roads in this area are too narrow
Eaves Wood
for coaches. PLEASE CAR SHARE IF POSSIBLE.
National Trust Eaves Wood Nature Reserve, Park Rd, Silverdale, Carnforth LA5 0UQ
What3Words tree.computers.bridge
Grid reference SD 471 759
The Nature Reserve and Car Park are open 24 hours.
There are NO toilets at Eaves Wood – the nearest are in Silverdale village (near the Gaskell Hall), or on the prom at Arnside.
The Car Park is free of charge, but only holds about 15 cars and can get very busy.
There is minimal alternative car parking nearby as the roads are quite narrow. We repeat: PLEASE CAR SHARE IF POSSIBLE!
We intend to travel straight from home, picking up our passengers en route, aiming to reach Eaves Wood Car Park in time to set off on our walk at 10.30am. The journey takes about 1¼ hours, so we’ll be setting off at about 9am.
Please let us know via the new rfnsbookings@gmail.com e-mail or the ‘white’ RFNS WhatsApp group if:
1. You are intending to join us – so we will know whether we’ve all arrived!
2. You can offer a lift (and say how many places you can offer)
3. You need a lift
If you can tell us before Sunday 7th Sept we will try to match those who need a lift with those offered and let you all know.
From Rochdale our usual route is north on the M6 to J35 (Carnforth). Left onto the A6070 then Right at the roundabout onto the A6, follow A6 for 2½ miles to Nineteen Acre Lane and turn Left (brown sign to Leighton Moss RSPB). Follow the Leighton Moss signs until you get there, but continue past the RSPB reserve to the junction. Turn Right past the station (Red Bridge Lane) then follow the road for about a mile, bear left at a minor junction and the Car Park is on the Right just past a bus shelter.
As well as the trees, squirrles and fungi mentioed above, plants include yellow star of Bethlehem, yellow bird’s nest and dark red helleborine. The herb spring cinquefoil has been recorded in woodland clearings.
The underlying geology at Eaves Wood is carboniferous limestone and there are some small areas of limestone pavement.
The site includes King Williams Hill, which features a monument known as the ‘Pepperpot’, and is an excellent viewpoint located just north of the village of Silverdale.
We intend to do the Eaves Wood circular walk, a waymarked trail of about 2¼ miles. Detailed information on the route is on the National Trust website. The route is flagged as moderate difficulty, it mostly follows a stone/gravel track, which can have muddy sections and the patches of limestone can be slippery when wet. There are some short steepish sections, mainly up to the Pepperpot. No stiles.
There is also a waymarked ‘Tramper route’ that is shorter and much easier going.
If anyone is fancying a longer walk, we have also recce’d an optional extension route around Hawes Water, about another 2½ miles, with possibilities of waterfowl and reedbed species. There are a couple of stiles on this section.
There are no facilities at Eaves Wood, but the village of Arnside is only 10 minutes drive away (SD 456 788).
We suggest heading there after our walk to use the loo, enjoy the refreshments (pubs, tea shops, chippy), and watch out for the shorebirds on the estuary.