Bottom Wood - Chiltern Society

About Bottom Wood

This 35 acre ancient woodland dates back to before 1600, and we’ve been caring for it since 1984. This vast site is home to over 700 different species of plants and animals.

Thanks to numerous conservation and woodland management techniques, the site has diversified hugely and now many different tree species including apple, cherry, beech and various conifers support the populations of dormice, red kites and tawny owls that inhabit the woodland. A section of the forest has been maintained as an open glade in which wild flowers, including orchids, support rare butterflies and other grassland wildlife.

The woodland’s extensive history means a number of archaeological features can be observed, including numerous sawpits and a giant holloway which was used to access an old well during droughts in the 1920s.

How to find us

Bottom Wood, Old Dashwood Hill*, near Stokenchurch.
Find Bottom Wood on Google Maps and What3Words.

Bus: Arriva route 40.
Rail: Saunderton is 2½ miles away.
Road: From High Wycombe, come along the A40 and after the Dashwood Arms Pub at Piddington leave the A40 taking the first right onto Old Dashwood Hill* – drive up the hill to the top, you see a few houses on your right and a finger post immediately after the 7th house.

From Stokenchurch, the A40 towards High Wycombe, Old Dashwood Hill will be on your left just before going down the hill. The finger post referred to above is on your left immediately after the 4th house. Follow the direction of the finger post for about 450m downhill through woods to the south entrance of the reserve.

Parking: Park on Old Dashwood Hill. This is a residential road so please park responsibly!

* Old Dashwood Hill is labelled as Old Oxford Road on OS maps.
The grid reference for the finger post is SU794959.