Hayley Wood

Discovered a magical ancient wood on yesterday's walk - Hayley Wood just outside Cambridge. Magical because its history is so tangible. It's a coppicing wood, and has been since about 1300. It's still worked as you can see here, although I'm not quite sure what they're up to - restoration maybe. There were loads of trees in this state in one large area, it was hard not to think of them as visiting aliens, some looked like meerkats, others like something out of a Munch painting with gaping black mouths. The rest of Hayley Wood is a mix of oak, ash and beech, also wild flowers and a wonderful soundscape of birdsong. 

It was the most interesting place I've been to this year, with some well written information boards detailing its fascinating history and how a coppice wood works over the years, the different light levels allowing various plants to flourish and then decline in response. 
https://www.wildlifebcn.org/nature-reserves/hayley-wood

Thanks to soozsnapz for alerting me to this website http://www.highweald.org/learn-about/local-products/how-products-are-made/613-coppice-industry.html