Arle Grove

sunlight through the leaves of a woodland

Arle Grove (c) Nathan Millar

Arle Grove is a species-rich ancient woodland and boasts a wealth of flora and fauna.

Location

500m north of Dowdeswell, off the A40 near Whittington
Cheltenham
GL54 4EY

OS Map Reference

SO995217
What3Words: skills.frozen.raves
A static map of Arle Grove

Know before you go

Size
5 hectares
z

Entry fee

Free
P

Parking information

Parking for four or five vehicles is available in a layby opposite the entrance

Grazing animals

None

Access

Access via a kissing gate

Dogs

On a lead

When to visit

Opening times

Open access throughout the year

Best time to visit

Throughout the year

About the reserve

Perched on the Cotswold Escarpment, this woodland is classified as a Key Wildlife Site, with the ancient woodland remaining unchanged for hundreds of years. A wide range of ancient woodland species have already been found here, like yellow archangel, herb-Paris and bluebells. The Cotswold Way also runs close by, which links Arle Grove in with some wonderful local walks.

There are plans to enhance glades throughout the nature reserve and coppice trees such as hazel to maintain a diverse age range, and to selectively thin saplings, creating a mixture of different habitats to encourage wildlife.

Environmental designation

Ancient Woodland