Wild Side of Sidmouth

Have you ever walked down a seemingly ordinary footpath and wondered about the stories it holds? Milltown Lane in Sidmouth is one such place—an unassuming track where geology dictates the climb and a single flower tells a centuries-old story, offering not just a walk, but a journey back to the floor of a long-vanished forest.

Situated on the Salcombe side of Sidmouth, Milltown Lane begins on Sid Road at Sidcliffe and runs steeply uphill towards the Lockyer Observatory. Its character is fundamentally dictated by the ground beneath your feet. The lower slopes are carved from Sidmouth Mudstone, which yields the heavy, clay-rich soils that support such lush vegetation. As the path ascends, the geology transitions to Upper Greensand, and the steep gradient—a direct result of the valley’s dramatic landform—intensifies. The path's surface tells its own story of transition, starting as smooth tarmac before giving way to a rough, stony terrain. This challenging ascent culminates in a steep flight of steps that leads you into the upper woodland. Due to its rugged and steep nature, navigating the path can be a significant challenge for anyone with mobility issues.

Ecologically, Milltown Lane holds a fascinating secret. It is not classified as a true woodland but is officially described as a "lane lined with trees." This distinction is critical, as it points to the lane's origin as an ancient track, likely used to drive animals up and down the hill at seasonal changes through a much larger forest. When that expansive woodland was cleared for agriculture between the 12th and 15th centuries, this narrow corridor survived, leaving the path and its bordering trees as a "relict hedge"—a living echo of what once was, preserving a narrow strip of ancient ecological character.

Milltown Lane occupies a fascinating niche in Sidmouth’s landscape. While it doesn't have a singular "Project Milltown" management plan, it is managed as a "Relict Forest Corridor" and falls under three significant formal frameworks that protect its unique character.

The "Ancient Woodland Indicator" Status

As of early 2026, Milltown Lane is recognized by the Sid Valley Biodiversity Group (SVBG) and local ecologists as an "Ancient Lane."

• Biological Record Keeping: The lane is a priority site for the SVBG because it hosts Dog’s Mercury (Mercurialis perennis), a plant that is a primary indicator of ancient woodland. Because this plant spreads very slowly, its presence confirms that the soil along the lane has remained undisturbed for centuries, even after the surrounding forest was cleared in the 12th–15th centuries.

• Species Monitoring: With 98 species recorded along this single track, management here is "non-interventionist." The goal is to allow the "light window" of early spring to remain open for Bluebells and Dog's Mercury before the canopy closes.

The South Combe Farm "Buffer" Plan

The fields immediately adjoining Milltown Lane are part of South Combe Farm, which operates under a Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship agreement (often integrated with the Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme).

• Wild Bird Seed Mixes: The farm manages its fields for seed-head retention to support the Cirl Bunting, Linnet, and Yellowhammer. This directly benefits the lane, as these birds use the Milltown Lane hedgerows for nesting and shelter.

• Chemical-Free Margins: The management agreement ensures that agricultural runoff does not enter the lane's banks, preserving the delicate fungi and mosses that thrive on the mudstone and greensand soils.

Dark Corridor and Bat Navigation

Because Milltown Lane connects to the River Sid it is a critical "Dark Corridor" for the Common Pipistrelle and Lesser Horseshoe Bat.

• Tree Management: The Sidmouth Arboretum monitors the "Champion Trees" along the lane. Unlike urban trees, these are managed for "structural density" rather than aesthetics, providing the thick canopy cover bats need to avoid predators while commuting.

• Lockyer Observatory Buffer: The lane acts as a light-pollution buffer for the Observatory. Management policies for this area discourage the installation of any street lighting, preserving the "Dark Skies" essential for both the astronomers and the nocturnal wildlife.

Heritage Protection (The Standing Stone)

The lane also holds a "Heritage Management" status due to the Salcombe Hill Standing Stone (a 9-foot chert boulder).

• Historic Environment Record (HER): The stone, which was moved to the side of Milltown Lane in the 1960s, is protected under Devon’s heritage guidelines. The Sid Vale Association (SVA) monitors the area to ensure that "scrub encroachment" does not bury this significant archaeological relic.

The most compelling clue to the lane's past is a plant found along its banks: Dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis). In British ecology, Dog’s mercury is a primary indicator of ancient woodland. It is a plant that colonizes new ground very slowly because it relies on stable, long-term forest floor conditions. Its persistence here strongly indicates that the soil and ground flora remained largely intact even after the great trees of the wider forest were felled. Its presence is a biological 'echo' of the lane's forested past, a direct link to a landscape hundreds of years old.

Today, Milltown Lane is a thriving corridor for nature, with a total of 98 species recorded at the site. The surrounding area is famous for its spring displays of native Bluebells, another key indicator of ancient woodland. They are part of a wider botanical spectacle; a survey across the Sid Valley recorded over 70 herbaceous species in flower by March, including Sweet Violet, Butcher's Broom, and the Early Purple Orchid. These plants brilliantly utilize the "light window" of early spring, flourishing in the sunlight before the canopy of the tree-lined lanes fully closes.

The lane also serves as a vital highway for wildlife. Mammals like roe deer move through these sheltered routes, while badgers favour the well-drained, sandy soils of the upper slopes for their setts. In contrast, Grey Squirrels are surprisingly rare here. For bats, such as the Common Pipistrelle, the line of trees is an essential navigational aid and a rich foraging ground. On the stony ground, the Kentish Snail (Monacha cantiana) finds a suitable home, while the canopy above is alive with the calls of woodland birds like the Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, and Chiffchaff. This local abundance is bolstered by nature-friendly farming at nearby South Combe Farm, where fields managed for seed heads support red-listed and amber-listed species like the Cirl Bunting, Linnet, and Yellowhammer.

Milltown Lane is not an ecological island but a vital thread in a wider habitat mosaic. Just a short distance away lies Soldier’s Hill, one of the best local sites for Waxcap fungi. These vibrant fungi are indicators of ancient, unimproved grassland, a nationally important habitat, underscoring the deep-rooted natural history of this entire landscape.

Milltown Lane is far more than a simple route from one place to another; it is a living document written in mudstone, relict trees, and the persistent flowers of a ghost forest. This narrow path preserves a fragment of an ancient world, connecting our present day to the Sid Valley's forested past. What hidden histories might be waiting along the paths you walk every day?