Parks and Countryside newsletter

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Parks and Countryside [Autumn/Winter]

In this newsletter we look at:

  • Buckler's Forest SANG

  • Mood-boosting places photo competition

  • Celebrating history at The Chestnuts

  • Giving the 'king' of birds a helping hand

  • Footpath improvement in Warfield

  • Craft your own Seedling Sprite

Buckler's Forest SANG

Buckler's forest path and tree line

If you are looking for a place to visit for fresh air and exercise, we recommend Buckler's Forest in Crowthorne.

Buckler's Forest finger posts

This striking site has been created on land that was previously part of the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). Elements of its fascinating past and the transport research that once took place here, can now be seen imaginatively repurposed across the site for all to enjoy.

Buckler's Forest has been developed as a SANG (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace). This provides visitors with attractive, alternative places to visit and contributes to the legal requirement to protect internationally important wildlife sites within the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Areas.

Things to do

The wide surfaced tracks accommodate active outdoor activities, such as walking, running and cycling.

There are also plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting in the forest, open grassland, heathland and wetland habitats.

Pond at Buckler's Forest

Site features include:

  • Garages Pond (pictured)
  • The Fire Tower
  • Hill Start Hill picnic area
  • Small Roads test site
  • Clay Hill viewpoint
  • The Banked Curve amphitheatre
  • The Skid Pan - where roundabouts used to be tested
  • Information boards and learning/activity cabinets

Find out more about Buckler's Forest from The Land Trust.

Please note, the site car park gets busy at peak times. Please consider walking, cycling or car sharing where possible. A list of other SANG sites can be found on our website.

Mood-boosting places photo competition

Person taking photo with sun behind them

There's still time to enter the Bracknell Forest photo competition.

The competition is open to amateur photographers and free to enter. Deadline for entries is Monday, 31 October 2022.

The theme is mood-boosting places. There are many wonderful local green spaces to capture. Images can also feature any place in the borough that helps to lift your mood.

Photographers with the best photos will win a share of a £225 prize fund courtesy of Duncan Yeardley Estate Agent, Bracknell Camera Club and the Economic and Skills Development Partnership.

Full terms and conditions and information about how to enter are available on our photo competition web page.

Celebrating history at The Chestnuts

Drawing of the icehouse at The Chestnuts
Interpretation panel at The Chestnuts open space

Residents can enjoy new history information panels at The Chestnuts open space in Warfield.

One panel provides information about the historic icehouse. This is a brick building with a spherical domed roof covered in earth. It was once used to store ice during the days of the old Warfield Park estate (see artist's impression pictured above). Today, the icehouse is a Grade II listed building.

Information is also provided about the sweet chestnut trees, the site is named after. The once small trees are now large veterans of over 200 years old.

The new facilities were funded by local development money that can only be spent on open space improvements.

Further information about the site, and improvements being made, are provided on The Chestnut's web page.

Giving the 'king' of birds a helping hand

Two rangers installing a kingfisher nest box along The Bullbrook waterway

Our rangers Alex and Charlie have been installing new kingfisher nest boxes along the banks of the Bull Brook river.

Kingfisher, by Rob Solomon

The waterway, which runs through Westmorland Park and Edmund’s Green and Lane, is a favoured place for these small and beautiful birds.

Kingfishers excavate their nests in stone-free sandy soil of a low stream bank. By providing these new nesting sites along The Bull Brook, we’re giving them an extra helping hand.

Kingfisher image by Rob Solomon.

Footpath improvement in Warfield

We've recently completed improvements to a Warfield footpath that will help increase its accessibility throughout the year.

The footpath runs between Malt Hill and Church Lane. It links open spaces at Windmill Farm and Frost Folly and forms part of the long-distance Bracknell Forest Ramblers Route.

The path was prone to flooding in the autumn and winter, reducing its accessibility to walkers. The picture (bottom right) shows how badly the path became flooded.

 Boardwalk (Warfield Footpath 7)

We worked with Bracknell Conservation Volunteers to construct a new boardwalk, with the South East Berkshire Ramblers providing the funding.

Drainage work was also carried out to help alleviate the issue of seasonal flooding.

 Flooding (Warfield Footpath 7)

Craft your own Seedling Sprite

Sprite sculpture holding a flower, in a park setting

Looking for activities for the kids this half term?

Tickets are still available for a series of fun arts and craft activities during the Seedling Sprites Craft event at The Lexicon Bracknell.

Young visitors will be able to create their very own Seedling Sprite from pinecones, twigs and other natural materials, or they can create a colouring masterpiece to take away with them.

Event and booking information is available from The Lexicon Bracknell.

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