Holly Hayes is an ancient enclosed area of the Old Charnwood Forest. The earliest recorded record for the wood is believed to be 1240AD; however, an entry from the ‘The Doomsday Book’ (Circa 1086) reads ‘Witewic’ (now Whitwick), there is 1 border and woodland 1 furlong long and half a furlong broad. The wood exhibits flora typical of English broadleaf woodlands (Oak, Birch, Sycamore, Beech) which have been worked for many centuries.