Grid reference TL 196 801 Location map Magic Map Notification 1986 | Interest Biological Area of search Cambridgeshire | |
 | ||
Similar Woodwalton Fen, Bedford Purlieus National, Brampton Wood, Castor Hanglands National, Holme Fen | ||
Great monks wood part 1
Monks Wood is a 157 hectare National Nature Reserve north-west of Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, and a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I. A slightly larger area of 169.3 hectares is the Monks Wood and The Odd Quarter biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Contents
Map of Monks Wood, Huntingdon, UK
The site is described by Natural England as one of Britain's most important lowland woods. It is mainly of the wet ash-maple type, with a rich shrub layer which was formerly coppiced. Trees include the rare wild service tree, particularly in The Odd Quarter. There is ground flora typical of ancient woodland, together with woodland rides, ponds, streams and herb-rich grassland. The marsh tits in the wood have been the subject of several studies. Monks Wood was an experimental research station of The Nature Conservancy from 1961 to 2009.
There is access to Monks Wood from the road which runs along its southern boundary. The Odd Quarter is private property with no public access.