Haw Park Wood

​​Haw Park Wood is situated 4 miles south-east of Wakefield.

This area is close to Anglers Country Park and can be reached by a short walk from its car park. Currently, there are mainly conifers, but efforts are being made to restore deciduous woodland.

The park has been awarded Green Flag status - this recognises the best parks in the country.

The Woodland Café

The Woodland Café at Anglers Country Park is open every day from 9am to 4pm and serves food and drinks.

Historical interest

The wood was once part of Don Forest and has historical connections to the neighbouring Walton Hall Estate (now  the Waterton Park Hotel and Waterton Park Golf Club), which  belonged to Charles Waterton, the creator of the world’s first nature reserve.

In the north of the woodland a nine-foot-high wall can be seen which he built to protect the animals found in the estate and keep poachers out.

Inside this wall he built watchtowers which he used to watch wildlife. One of these watchtowers can be found in the woodland and has been restored.

Nature conservation

Haw Park Wood is designated as a local nature reserve.

Between 1940 and 1960, the ancient woodland was planted with fast growing softwoods such as Pine and Larch,=. This was to supply timber to the coal mining industry. Our aim today is to return the woodland to British species including Oak.

Over the past decade, some of the paths within the wood have been widened. This will increase biodiversity as the variety of habitats from path edge to mature trees provides homes for a wider range of species.

The woodland already has diverse wildlife like deer, birds, and newts, as well as important plant species like the Wild Service Tree.

The management plan detailing how the site is managed and looked after can be found in the visitor centre.

Volunteers

The Friends of Haw Park Wood and Wintersett help the Countryside Officers (rangers) to manage and maintain the site. Past activities have included litter picks and supporting Countryside with family events.

If you are interested in local volunteering opportunities on this and other sites, you can find out more information on their website here.