Great Knott Wood ^Featured

Great Knott Wood is an ancient woodland, covering 34 hectares, on the south west shore of Lake Windermere. It has one of the highest densities of woodland cover anywhere in northern England, with oak, sycamore ash, alder, birch, beech and larch! In spring and summer the woodland floor is covered with beautiful flowering plants, including bluebell, lords and ladies and honeysuckle.

For 300 years Great Knott Wood was managed to produce oak-bark for the tanning trade and charcoal for iron-smelting. The rise of the Lancashire cotton trade also brought a huge demand for wooden bobbins, supplied by the Bobbin Mill, still standing at the foot of the hill, now a museum.

The Woodland Trust has been restoring this ancient wood by felling the non-native conifers to create conditions in which the original trees, plants, animals and fungi can once again flourish. They are improving footpaths and producing self-guided walk leaflets to help visitors discover and enjoy the wood, learn about the trees and history of the area.

location: South Lakes
project delivered by: Woodland Trust

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