As you move westwards and the first of the dry valleys is encountered there is a narrow strip of Chalk Heath where acid and calcareous plants exist together and you can see Heather and Bracken growing alongside Milkwort and Rock Rose. The chalk down land supports a large range of alkali loving species including several species of orchid. Parts of the Heath and the churchyard have an interesting population of Mosses and Lichens with several rare species having been found.
The staff and students of The Field Studies Council Centre at Juniper Hall intensively study the area so a very good record of species present is known.
The central part of the village is residential and agricultural but a good variety of plants can be found on the roadside verges, the trees are mainly Oak, Ash and Beech.
Nower Wood is a fragment of ancient woodland and is a mixture of mature Oak, Sweet Chestnut and Ash with an under story of Hazel, Holly and Birch. The ground flora is typical of ancient woodland and coppice with Primroses, Wood Anemones and Bluebells in abundance.
The Heath is always open and you can explore at will. The National Trust staff and The Friends of Headley Heath arrange guided walks throughout the year to show the management strategy and point out items of interest for that particular time of the year. For details see the Friend's page on this site or The Surrey County Council Environmental News available at Libraries.
Permission should always be sought from the landowner before entering any private land.
Take nothing but photographs.
Leave nothing but footprints.
Kill nothing but time.
© Peter Denyer, Headley Village Website 2006