Borthwood Copse

Borthwood Copse, near Sandown, Isle of Wight, England is a piece of woodland owned by the National Trust and is a fragment of the medieval forest which covered most of the eastern end of the Island. Borthwood Copse was originally a royal hunting ground. [ [http://www.wightstay.co.uk/cycling/trails3.html "America Wood & Borthwood Copse"] , WightStay website.]

There are some ancient oaks, and a distinctive grove of beech trees which stand amongst glades of coppiced sweet chestnut and hazel. The woodland is one of the very few examples of working coppice with standards which can be seen on the Isle of Wight. A bridleway and many smaller paths lead through the woodland, which is open to the public. It is particularly popular with visitors in the autumn with its vivid colours and, in the springtime, when carpeted with bluebells.

Wildlife includes dormice, red squirrels, [ [http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-countryside_environment/w-nature/w-nature-wildlife/w-nature-wildlife-red_squirrels.htm "Red squirrels: The best way to catch a glimpse of one of our most loved animals, the red squirrel, is to visit one of five National Trust properties"] , The National Trust] a wide range of bats, and many invertebrates.

References

ee also

*List of old growth forests