Caen Hill's shining diamond

Caen Hill Diamond Jubilee Wood is one of 60 new woods planted in 2012 around the country to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and her 60 years on the throne.

Over the years, this wonderful site is growing into a beautiful broadleaved woodland of native trees, giving food and shelter to an array of wildlife and providing people with a place to walk, picnic, run, pick fruit and enjoy the beauty of the natural world.

Combine your visit to Caen Hill with a leisurely stroll around the wood. Maybe eat at one of the picnic benches and take in the scenery from the viewpoint. Look westwards over the Wiltshire landscape, reflect on the beauty of the countryside and enjoy the sunset if you visit in the evening. The viewpoint is next to the Caen Hill visitor’s carpark and is easily reached by people who find walking a challenge.

While we own the land, and manage the wood, the initial trees were funded by a grant from the Forestry Commission as part of its English Woodland Grant Scheme.

Many of trees have been planted, replaced and cared for by volunteers who are creating a legacy for future generations. One that we hope in 100 years will be just as inspiring as Caen Hill Flight.

At present the fields are full of young trees such as oak, hazel, sweet chestnut, cherry, crab apple, silver birch and hornbeam. As they grow and the leaf canopy closes overhead they will provide rich habitat for wildlife including badger, fox and deer, as well as small mammals like wood mice, vole, shrew and hedgehog. Harvest mice might live in the longer grass around the margins along with reptiles such as grass snake and slow-worm.

A pond fed by rain water is attracting aquatic wildlife such as dragonfly, frog, toad, smooth newt and possibly the endangered great crested newt. The rare scarce chaser dragonfly, currently found on the Caen Hill Locks, could even extend its territory to the pond.

So when you next visit, why not combine the heritage of the Caen Hill Flight and see the making of a site of interest and beauty.