Micheldever Wood

Micheldever Wood is 5 miles northeast of Winchester, bordering the M3, in fact the M3 goes through it at points. It is predominantly a beech wood with some conifer interspersed, with many species of wild flowers and associated butterflies and dragonflies. A number of paths make their way through the wood.  It is managed today by the Forestry Commission.

In April and May a spectacular and very popular display of Bluebells, in the spring, carpet the woodland floor beneath the brilliant green of newly emerged beech leaves. Both roe deer and fallow deer are to be found in the woods as well as the usual woodland birds and insects.

There are several sites of archaeological interest on a waymarked trail from Northington Lane including an ancient bronze age burial mound and several Iron Age earthworks, like the early Bronze Age bowl Barrow and the Banjo Enclosure . There are information boards at the sites to inform you of the Bronze Age History and settlements.

Beech woods are an ideal environment for Bluebells as they cast a heavier shade making the woodland floor relatively free of undergrowth, they survive because they do most of their growing before the trees come into leaf. This means they have less competition and are free to dominate the forest floor. With this proliferation of blue occasionally you may spot an rogue white bluebell head, so keep an eye out for this.

View from atop the Bronze Age barrow on the western edge next to the Motorway.	The southern part of the woods amongst the beech trees.
Photographed by: Jim Champion	Photographed by: Jim Champion
Near the Edge of Micheldever Wood on the Eastern Boundary	OS Map showing position of Wood
Photographed by: Jim Champion

Nearby Micheldever is a village of Chocolate Box half timber framed cottages with whitewash walls and thatched roofs.

Its local church as a 16th century tower and a central brick octagon structure that was built around 1800. See more about the church here.

Further information Grid Location: Micheldever Woods, Hants Ceremonial County: Hants Grid Reference: SU534374  Landranger Map: 185  Map Link: VIEW MAP Aerial photo: Google Map Route(s):   Best Times to Visit: End of April into May for Bluebells or during the autumn for the leaf colours. E-mail:   Website: Micheldever Woods Other useful websites: UK Attraction The Modern Antiquarian Nearby Locations: Micheldever Village Other Relevant pages:

.

Please let us know any other information that we can add to the Further information and Planning Grids or page and any errors that you discover. Before making a long trip to any location it is always wise to double check the current information, websites like magazines may be correct at the time the information is written, but things change and it is of course impossible to double check all entries on a regular basis. If you have any good photographs that you feel would improve the illustration of this page then please let us have copies. In referring to this page it is helpful if you quote both the Page Ref and Topic or Section references from the Grid below. To print the planning grid select it then right click and print the selected area.

Please submit information on locations you discover so that this system continues to grow.

By: Tracey Park	Section: Nature	Key:
Page Ref: Micheldever_woods	Topic: Woodlands and Forests	Last Updated: 04/2009

.