Horse riders and cyclists should use thetarmac roads: to prevent damage to

the site and protect other visitors,off-road riding and cycling are

not permitted.

Burnham Beecheswelcomes responsibledog owners who should:

• keep dogs under effectivecontrol, i.e. in sight at alltimes and returning whencalled

• clear up after dogsthroughout the site – dog bags

and bins are provided

• ensure dogs have collars and id tags

• prevent dogs from chasing wildlife, livestockor other visitors

• not allow dogs to enter the ponds

All visitors can help protect the Beeches by:leaving all natural objects (flowers, fungi,deadwood etc) where they find them and byusing the litter and dog bins.

BURNHAM BEECHES

Picture credits: A. Prince, F. Brightman.

PRINTED ON PAPER FROM SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS AUGUST 2008

For further information please contact:The City of London, Burnham Beeches Office, Hawthorn Lane, Farnham Common, SloughSL2 3TE Tel: 01753 647358 Fax: 01753 645012Emergency 24 hr number: 01372 279488Email: burnham.beeches@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Burnham Beeches is one of a number of openspaces, parks and gardens in and aroundLondon, owned and managed by the City ofLondon as part of its commitment to sustaininga world class city. Each open space is a uniqueresource, managed for the use and enjoyment ofthe public and for the conservation of wildlifeand historic landscape. A full list of sites andvisitor information can be found on our websiteat www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/openspaces or bycontacting the Open Spaces Directorate on 020 7606 3030.

Pleasekeep in mind…

If you would like this publication inan alternative format or language,please contact 01753 647358

Leave only footprints -take only memories

The easyaccess path

An

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Burnham Beeches is a site of internationalimportance offering 220 hectares (540acres) of open space for the public toexplore and enjoy. A wonderful place to

visit at any time, the Beeches attractsabout 500,000 visitors per year

and is busiest in autumn,when many come for the

autumn colour.

A Place toExploreThe network of pathsincludes informaland “easy access”paths for visitorswho prefer a moreeven surface. In

addition, much of thethree miles of internal

tarmac roads is closed tocars. Less mobile visitors

can arrange access to thiscar-free zone on weekdays by

contacting the Burnham Beechesoffice between 9am and 5pm.

The car parks are opened from 8am andclosed at dusk. Opening times for theBeeches Café, public toilets and InformationPoint are subject to seasonal variations butin general they are open between 10amand 5pm.

Welcometo Burnham Beeches

Pollarding not onlyproduced a continuouscrop of wood but alsodramatically increasedthe life of the trees:with many pollards nowseveral hundred yearsold, it is for theseancient trees thatBurnham Beeches is mostfamous. Their age, and theamount of deadwood in andaround them, means that thewoodland is rich in wildlife. Morethan sixty of the species of plants andanimals here are either rare or under threatnationally.

Other habitats in this National NatureReserve and Special Area of Conservationinclude heath, valley mire, coppice, ponds,streams and grassland. The staff at theBeeches maintain the best conditions forbirds, bats, fungi and other wood-livingorganisms by careful habitat management,especially of dead wood. Livestock havebeen re-introducedand visitors mayspot pigs, sheep,cows and poniesgrazing.

Tawny Owl chick

Tawny Owl chick

The area has been wooded since the last Ice Age, but today’s landscapewas created by people. Indeed, one of thethree Scheduled Ancient Monuments showsthe area was inhabited as early as the IronAge. The woodland’s character has alsodeveloped through centuries of wood-pasture management – where livestockgraze beneath trees which are regularlypollarded (branches cut above head height).The Domesday Book records Burnham Parishas having “woodland enough to feed 600swine”.

This historic landscape was almost lost in1879, when it was put up for

sale as “land suitablefor the erection of

superior residences”.Fortunately, oneyear later, it was

bought and preservedby the City of London.

Berkshire pigs foraging in the woods

Fly agaric fungus(Amanita muscaria)

forHistoryOne of the many ancient pollardedbeech

trees

Wildlifefor

British white cattle grazing therestored heath and mire

PAR

K LA

NE

MORTONDRIVE

MCAULIFFE DRIVE

Woods Drive

DUKES

DRIVE

Burnha

mWalk

Myers Drive

STE

WA

RTS

DR

IVE

EGY

PTLANE

BEECHES ROAD

ToBeaconsfield

(M40)

ToSlough

(M4)

BE

DF

OR

D D

RIV

E

GR

EE

N LA

NE

A355

VictoriaDriv

e

LORD

MAYORS DRI

VE

VICTORY CROSS

CR

OW

NLA

NE

The Pound(Scheduled Ancient

Monument)HALSE

DRIVE

PUMPKIN

HILL

KeepersCottage

KeepersCottages

'Aston'KeepersCottage

THO

MP

KIN

S LA

NE

GROVEROAD

GR

EE

N L

AN

E

CR

OW

PIE

CE

LAN

E

Dim

sda l

eD

rive

The Nile

Withy SpringUpperPond

MiddlePond

SwillyPond

Fleet Wood

New CoppiceTowerWood

Mendelssohns Slope

DruidsOak

EgyptWoods

East BurnhamCommon

TheHeath

JuniperCommon

CrabtreeHeath

The Moat

SevenwaysPlain

1/2 mile

BURNHAMBEECHES

OFFICE

SIR

HEN

RY

PEEK

S D

RIVE

HAWTHORN LANE

(overflow)

BARN CLOSE

HAMMOND END

CAGESWOOD DRIVE

THE AVENUE

BE

EC

HE

SD

RIV

E

INGLE GLEN

KINGSWAY

BLA

CK

PO

ND

LAN

E

BEACO

NSFIELD

RO

AD

SCOTLANDS DR

(private road)

7474

Roads

Roads closedto all vehicles

Roads closed totraffic (except disabledbadge holders)

Access for disableddrivers only (mon-fri)

Track

Main footpath

Other path

Easy access path

Gate

Fence. Caution: grazinganimals may be foundwithin the fenced areas

Easy access gate andcycle grid

Ancient woodland

Area with ancientpollards

Young woodland

Dry heath

Wet heath/mire

Other open land

Built-up areas

Horse andcycle ridingalso allowed

Walkersonly

Scheduled AncientMonument

Stream (seasonal)

Swallow hole

Shelter

Information point

Car park

Disabled parking

Café

Public convenience

Bus stop74

N

W E

S

1000 200 300 500 metres400

Based upon the Ordnance Survey mapping with permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’sStationery Office. ©Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes crown copyrightand may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. City of London 100023243 - 2006. Thismapping is provided by the City of London under licence from the Ordnance Survey in orderto fulfil its function to maintain and promote its open spaces for the recreation and enjoymentof the public. Persons viewing this map should contact Ordnance Survey Copyright foradvice where they wish to licence Ordnance Survey mapping for their own use.

BeechesAutumn in the Beeches

Mallards atUpper Pond

Comm

abutterfly

onblackberries

Volu

ntee

rspl

aya

vita

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e

Walking in thecar-free zone

50m

85m

Approximateheight above

sea level inmetres

“The Ball

erina pollard”

Events for all ages