WILD WOODS
The setting for this cache is Maulden Wood (part of Ampthill
Forest), situated between Luton and Bedford on the A6. Deer roam
throughout the forest area, and wildlife is plentiful for those who
are quiet and patient. There is ample parking and the trail is
suitable for all the family.
Maulden Wood is an attractive mix of semi-natural broadleaf
woodland, acidic grassland and conifer plantations. The grasslands
in the centre of the wood are managed by the Greensands Trust in
partnership with the Forestry Commission, and are designated as
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for the acidic
grassland and heathland interest. The northern end of the wood is
also an SSSI because of its importance as one of Bedfordshire's
largest remnants of ancient woodland.
Some of the things you might come across whilst wandering
through the woods:
Mammals - Foxes are a delightful sight in Maulden
Wood, the shy animals are best seen on a quiet sunny afternoon.
Don't expect to see more than a glimpse, particularly if you have a
dog with you. Grey squirrels are a more common sight, along with
hares on the heath in the middle of the wood. You may also see
Roe deer,
Fallow deer
and Badger.
Birds - The pinewood in the south of Maulden is being
managed to encourage nightjars and woodlarks to nest, but as yet,
with little success. However, Maulden is already a great wood for
migrant songbirds like the grasshopper and willow warblers.
Red kites from
the Chilterns and Rockingham Forest are increasingly common over
Maulden Wood, particularly in the spring and summer. You may also
see buzzard, kestrel and sparrowhawk.
Insects and reptiles - Adders have been
re-introduced into this ancient woodland, but don't be alarmed!
Adders won't bite unless they are trodden on or attacked by a dog.
You may also see slow worms, and if you are quiet you may spot the
common lizard basking in the sunshine - Maulden Wood has hundreds
of these small creatures, more than anywhere else locally. Maulden
has many habitats and supports an amazing range of butterflies,
which are most active on warm, sunny days in the spring and summer.
Keen spotters may see dingy and grizzled skipper, small heath,
small copper, clouded yellow and white admiral. And if you walk
around the heath on a warm evening in June or July you may see some
of the hundreds of glow worms that live here.
Habitats - At the heart of Maulden Woods lies a
flower-rich acidic grassland, a remnant of the heathland that once
stretched from Sandy to Leighton Buzzard, of which now only a few
fragments survive. The Commission is working closely with English
Nature and the Greensand Trust to safeguard this important grassy
heath from deterioration. In spring and summer you may see the
white flowers of heath bedstraw and meadow saxifrage, and the
purple of knapweed and heather.
Access and parking is available at Deadman’s Hill lay-by
(don’t forget to do GCGB5V
'The Mystery of Deadmans Hill' while you are there).
Access to the lay-by is from the northbound side of the A6
carriageway at N52°02.436 W0°26.121, if you you are coming
down the southbound side, there is a roundabout 1 mile down the
road where you can turn round. When leaving the lay-by you can
rejoin the carriageway in either direction. The main entrance to
the woods can be found at N52°02.566 W0°26.274.
There are numerous way-marked trails that take you round the
forest, and it is possible to get within about 50 yards of the
cache (the last 50 yards is along a grassy path) using some of
these well surfaced trails. They generally remain mud free all year
round and are quite smooth and wide, making it ideal for young
families with pushchairs. The best way however is to take some of
the little tracks that lead through the forest. These offer some
lovely woodland walks and will also get you close to the cache
location.
Tree cover may cause problems in some parts of the wood, but a
good signal is possible at the cache location. The cache is a large
ammo box containing a good selection of goodies for young and
old.
** Please leave the cache well
concealed when you have finished. **
Once you have found the cache I can recommend taking another
route back to the car. Virtually all of the tracks and trails
eventually lead back to the start. The day we hid the cache we made
it into a circular walk and saw many interesting things - lizards,
deer, a sparrowhawk (we were about 20 yards away and watched it
catch it's prey in mid air), damselfly's, butterfly's and more. I
wasn't quick enough with the camera for most of them, but I did
manage to get the damselfly and a specked wood butterfly before
they flew away.
