A path meanders through Coombe Wood, bluebells can be seen either side of the path — Listen for birds singing as you walk along the woodland path | © National Trust / Chris Mason

Devon

Combe Woods and wild flowers walk

You can enjoy this circular walk around Combe Wood at any time of the year but the route is at its very best during bluebell season in early May.

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Total steps: 3

Start point

Combe Wood lay-by, grid ref: ST161016

Step 1

Go through the gate into the site and head up the main ride.

Hazel dormouse and other wildlife

The hazel dormouse has golden-brown fur and large black eyes. It's a nocturnal creature and spends most of its waking hours among the branches of trees looking for food. Nesting birds include the nuthatch – listen out for its loud ringing call – and the secretive sparrow hawk, which feeds on smaller birds. You can see these resident birds all year, but they are noisiest in the nesting season.

Step 2

Turn right and follow the waymarked route around the wood. The good thing about this walk is that it's almost impossible to get lost. All you need to do is keep the edge of the wood to your right.

Hazel glue fungus

Fungi and invertebrates play an essential role in recycling the nutrients from dead wood back into the soil, benefitting the surrounding trees and shrubs. This is natural recycling at its best – the dead wood acts as a natural slow-release fertiliser. Look out for the hazel glue fungus, named because it glues dead hazel twigs to living branches in the canopy, preventing them from falling to the ground where they'd be available to other fungi to decompose.

Step 3

If you take any of the paths that go off to the left you'll simply cut a portion of the circle. Continue walking, keeping the wood on your right until you return to the main gate onto the main road.

End point

Combe Wood lay-by, grid ref: ST161016

Trail map

Map route for woods and wild flowers walk | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey

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01297680507

southdevon@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Combe Woods and wild flowers walk

Total steps: 3