A medium sized container near an occasional stream. This cache is the first on the trail as you head out of Haslemere and into the countryside.
The Serpent Trail - A 64 mile long path that leads you through the purple heather, green woods and golden valleys of the Sussex greensand hills. The sandy heaths are rare and special places for people and wildlife.
ABOUT THE SITE
The hidden gem of Swan Barn Farm nestles behind Haslemere’s bustling high street. It is the gateway to some of Surrey and Sussex’s finest countryside. As you leave the town behind and walk through the Blackdown estate you'll pass through a range of woodland, heathland and farmland. The site is owned and managed by the National Trust.
Size: Part of the Blackdown Estate of 1650 acres
NATURE & WILDLIFE
- In 2002 The National Trust started an orchard restoration scheme. Over 20 new trees have been planted, all rare or endangered traditional varieties of apple, pear, plum, damson and cherry. The grassland under the trees is being grazed with sheep and cattle to restore the wild flowers and the wildlife is coming back.
- The woodlands here are ancient in origin, at least 400 years old; they may well even date back to prehistoric times.
- The National Trust manages these woods for the benefit of the wildlife by removing non-native softwoods and invasive exotics like rhododendron.
- Dormice, bluebells, white admiral butterflies and greater spotted woodpeckers rely on these woods and the traditional management that takes place within them for their survival.
HISTORY
At Swan Barn Farm, long-term volunteers live in a specially designed eco-house built with locally sourced, sustainable wood from the Black Down Estate. It was built here at Swan Barn Farm in 2012, by our Black Down countryside team and volunteers, led by Head Ranger David Elliott.
The fields here have been farmed over many hundreds of years. During the twentieth century management intensified and many species of wild flower were lost. The National Trust aims to reverse this process by returning to traditional hay cropping and grazing. These measures will significantly improve the grassland for flowers, insects, mammals and birds.
HEATHLAND
Heathlands occur on infertile land with thin acidic soils. The soils are usually sandy and therefore free-draining so they do not hold water for long. Heaths are often subject to summer droughts. Fires are a constant hazard, particularly as much of the vegetation is very resinous adding to the fire risk.
Heathlands are a man-made habitat, created thousands of years ago by our ancestors to provide firewood, craft materials and grazing for livestock. They are very vulnerable to rapid loss and degradation, especially through neglect. Birch and Scot’s Pine seedlings soon take over and turn areas into woodland because they shade out the underlying heath vegetation.
The wide open landscape is dominated by heather, gorse and grasses which provide a superb habitat for invertebrates (over 5000), ground nesting birds and all six native reptiles. Many internationally rare species can be found on heathland.
95% of lowland heaths have been lost globally. 1,544 ha of lowland heathland can be found in the National Park which represents an important international resource.
LOCAL INFORMATION
Haslemere is an old market town with it's own quaint charm. There are lots of walks in the area detailed on the Visitor information website
PERMISSIONS
Cache placed with kind permission from The National Trust