Piddles Wood

Piddles Wood is in north Dorset, close to Sturminster Newton, bordering on the A357. Access can be made either from the Fiddleford Mill car park (off the A357) or from a back lane near Broad Oak.

Starting Point and Car Park:	Either Fiddleford Mill car park (free) at ST 802136 (O.S. Landranger Sheet 194) or on the road-side at Broad Oak, ST 792126. To reach the start of the walk (Section 1) use the Broad Oak road-side park. If the Mill car park is used, then walk south along Calf Close Lane, cross the A357 with great care and follow the bridleway up the hill, bearing right. This will bring you to the "Great Oak" clearing and the junction of Sections 9 and 10. Follow the instructions from Section 10. The walk from the Mill car park is very beautiful at Bluebell time.
Region:	North
Length of Walk:	3.1 km (1.9 miles).
Time to do Walk:	1 hour 30 minutes.
Physical Severity of Walk:	Easy walking with a hill climb if the Fiddleford Mill car park is used. It is usually dry, but can be wet underfoot after prolonged rain.
Number of Sections:	11.
Restrictions:	No dogs. Where visitors are not on public rights of way, then permission to access is restricted to the walk.
Refreshments:	The Bull, at the corner of the A357 and Broad Oak Lane, The Fiddleford Inn on the A357, pubs and cafe in nearby Sturminster Newton.
Habitat:	Woodland
Site Owner:	Hinton St. Mary Estates (Mr G.A. Pitt-Rivers) part-leased to the Dorset Wildlife Trust.
Target Species of Butterfly:	Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Purple Hairstreak, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Holly Blue, White Admiral, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Silver-washed Fritillary, Speckled Wood, Wall, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Ringlet
Transect Contact:	Bill Shreeves
Other:

Piddles Wood Map

Piddles Wood came under a partial management agreement by the Dorset Wildlife Trust in 1998, resulting in major ride clearances and replanting to the North and West of the wood. In the recent past the wood has held Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary, and the White-letter Hairstreak. All three are probably now absent. In 1988 Marsh Fritillary was seen adjacent to sector 11 and is now an occasional visitor, and 2 Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary were in sector 4. White Admiral and Silver Washed Fritillary are still present, but no Essex Skippers have yet been confirmed (feeding on Creeping Soft Grass (Holcus mollis). Holly and Ivy are both in the wood, ideal for Holly Blue. Elm regrowth has again been blighted by Dutch Elm Disease, causing the demise of White-letter Hairstreak. Areas of Blackthorn should be scrutinised for any appearance of Brown Hairstreak.

Description of Walk

The wood has been walked since 1989. There are several access points, but it is suggested that the walk is started at the car park in Broadoak Lane, or by parking at the junction of sectors 1 & 2 off the road in a lay-by.

Follow the road NE downhill looking into the wood on LH side noting the Holly. After 300 m. turn left down the farm track and then bear L to gate into the wood and the DWT board where the sector ends.

Follow the ride NE-SW with mature Hazel coppice on LH side ending at the dried up streambed and Box junction.

Keep on following the ride, but try and get into any opened up areas of coppice when possible. Pass the dried up depression, which is sometimes a pond with the rare Orpine growing to the right, and carry on up the hill through dense tree cover to the T-junction with dead Elms to your R.

Turn L at T-junction along path under trees to emerge into open grassy area. Make a loop of the field where the edge habitat is good for bramble, and low oak for Purple Hairstreak. Plenty of flowers including vetches make this a good nectaring place. Go back onto the path exiting the field into a more wooded area until reaching the clearing at the signpost where the sector ends.

Following the Broad Oak ¾ mile signpost carry on along the ride passing a track on your L (sector 7) and one on the R (sector 8) until reaching the large cleared area of the Box junction and bridleway. The sector ends at the bottom of the cleared area where it narrows to form the track marking the beginning of sector 6.

Goes downhill, bearing left along the bridleway, which was widened in, 1989 and still has remnant devils bit Scabious. There is a Buddleia bush a few meters into the coppice on your R H side about 20 m down. The sector ends at a Box junction.

Initially descend Left to sometimes dried-up stream bed, then ascending through coppice with widely spaced oaks up the south facing slope to the T junction with sector 5 where this sector ends.

After emerging onto sector 5, turn L then turn R after a few meters into the path that begins this sector. Go through the mature Birch diagonally towards the large Oak with forked trunk. Entering the dense Bracken area make your way bearing R past the Oak and onto the well defined track of sector 9, marking the end of this sector.

Turn Left along the track, now overshadowed by trees, passing some old Apple and Plum trees on your RH side. Pass through the open area around the Great Oak itself. Pass the great Oak turning Left along the track to a point where another path emerges from the Left. This marks the end of the sector.

A long section of ride where it is possible to make two small diversions on your RH side, one near the big cleared Box junction (wild sedum (Orpine) still hangs on near the wooden seat) and one near the end of the Cherry plantation which flanks your Left side. Look out for White Admiral in these small enclaves. The sector ends at the end of the Cherry plantation.

The conifer plantation marking the start of the sector on your Left has now matured to shade out most of this sector. To the Right of the path, several Holly trees are worth noting and some of the Oaks may host Purple Hairstreak. The transect terminates on reaching the car park.

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