Combe Head Wood

There is a simple, universal pleasure in a woodland walk—the dappled light through the canopy, the scent of damp earth, the quiet rustle of leaves. But some woods hold more than just natural beauty. Beneath their tranquil surface lies a hidden and complex story of history, struggle, and survival.

Combe Head Wood in East Devon is one such place. To the casual visitor, it is a beautiful site for a stroll, rich with birdsong and wildflowers. Yet this woodland is also a frontline for modern conservation, a living landscape where ecologists are carefully working to heal the legacies of the past while preparing for the threats of the future. To understand its story is to see the wood in a new light, where every glade and every tree tells a tale of resilience.

This section provides practical information for planning your visit to this unique woodland.

• Location: Combe Head Wood is situated on the eastern side of the Sid Valley, near Salcombe Hill in East Devon.

• Access: Public access is conveniently available from the northern side of the Salcombe Hill National Trust car park.

Visitor Experience: The top part of the wood features well-maintained stoned paths that are suitable for visitors of all abilities, including those with pushchairs and wheelchairs. A gentle, one-mile circular walk offers a perfect way to experience the woodland's peaceful atmosphere. The wood is open to the public, and responsible dog walkers are welcome. For a particularly memorable visit, the bluebell season in early May transforms the woodland floor into a stunning sea of blue.

Combe Head Wood's character has been shaped by two distinct historical eras, creating the unique conservation challenge that exists today.

• Ancient Roots: The oldest parts of the wood are the areas of semi-natural oak and ash woodland, with a recorded history stretching back to at least 1822. This long, continuous period of tree cover has allowed a rich and specialised community of native plants to establish. In fact, a recent survey found that a remarkable 70.5% of the plant species recorded here are woodland specialists, a powerful testament to the site's deep-seated ecological legacy.

• The Plantation Era: In the 1960s, the woodland's composition was dramatically altered by extensive planting. Non-native conifers like pine, spruce, and Western Red Cedar were introduced alongside broadleaf species such as beech. This created a hybrid woodland, mixing ancient native habitats with modern plantation forestry.

The habitat mix clearly shows that the bulk of species occur in the ancient area and that the plantation is devoid of almost everything other than some ferns and some fungi. A significant number of plants found are commonly associated with broadleaf woodland and scrub. 

The Conservation Challenge: Because of this mixed history, the site is managed as a "Restored Ancient Woodland Site." The primary goal is to carefully and gradually remove the non-native conifers. These trees cast a dense shade and their needles create acidic soil conditions, which can harm the sensitive native flowers that are hallmarks of ancient woodland. This careful restoration work aims to allow the original, native ecosystem to recover and thrive once more.

The National Trust's management of Combe Head Wood is not just about trees; it is a carefully targeted effort to create and maintain habitats for specific and often rare creatures.

• Target Species: Conservation work actively encourages several priority species, including the elusive Hazel Dormouse, beautiful Fritillary Butterflies, and enchanting Glow Worms.

• The Role of Coppicing: The traditional practice of hazel coppicing—cutting the hazel trees back to their base on a rotational cycle—is vital. This stimulates the growth of a dense, scrubby understorey which is critical for the Hazel Dormouse. It provides a reliable food source and creates safe, interconnected pathways for them to travel through the woodland canopy, away from ground predators.

• The Importance of Glades: The management plan includes maintaining open, sunlit glades within the woodland. These clearings are essential for plants that need direct sunlight to flourish. In turn, these flowers provide nectar for a host of insects, including Fritillary Butterflies, which depend on these warm, bright spaces.

A Delicate Balance: Managing a woodland is a complex balancing act where even a necessary solution can create a new problem. As ash trees die back, new gaps in the canopy will let in sunlight, which should benefit the wildflowers below. However, the wood is also under chronic stress from airborne nitrogen pollution. This pollution acts like a fertiliser, but only for aggressive, generalist plants. The sudden increase in light could amplify this effect, allowing nutrient-hungry weeds to thrive and out-compete the sensitive, specialist flowers that make this ancient woodland so special. This illustrates the tightrope conservationists must walk: balancing light with nutrient levels to protect the wood's fragile floral heritage.

Any time from May to October is a good time to visit Combe Head Wood. The species count in autumn is enhanced by the number of fungi that can be found.

Combe Head Wood is facing a profound and immediate threat that will reshape its future, requiring a forward-thinking and resilient response.

• The Ash Dieback Crisis: The wood is threatened by Ash Dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus), a devastating fungal disease that is widespread across the UK. It is predicted that this disease will kill between 75% and 95% of the ash trees in the wood over the next few decades. This has two major consequences: the need for extensive safety felling along public paths to protect visitors, and the creation of large, sudden gaps in the woodland canopy.

A Strategy of Hope: The National Trust's response to this crisis is framed not by loss, but by an opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient woodland for the future. The plan is to replace the lost ash trees by planting a diverse range of native species that are known to be more resilient to climate change. This strategy of diversification helps create a more robust ecosystem, one that is less vulnerable to the next pest or disease that may emerge. It is a proactive investment in the wood's long-term health and survival.

Combe Head Wood is far more than a beautiful landscape for a weekend walk. It is a dynamic and living example of conservation in action. Here, a rich ecological history is being actively managed to overcome the challenges of the past, while a forward-looking strategy is being implemented to defend it against the threats of the future. It is a place of quiet beauty, but also of urgent work and profound hope.