CountrysideIsle of Wight4.6
The Trust's page does not say how parking is charged.
Borthwood Copse is a 60-acre ancient oak woodland near Winford on the Isle of Wight, once part of a much larger medieval hunting forest. Today it is a mix of old oak and beech, sunny glades and hazel and sweet chestnut coppice, which suits bluebells, dormice, woodland bats and the island's red squirrels, while the decaying wood in the older trees supports many rare beetles. The Trust's Borthwood Copse red squirrel walk is an easy 1.2-mile circuit from the Parish Council car park off Alverstone Road, passing a cathedral-like clearing of beech with fallen logs to sit on. Dogs are welcome, on a short lead around livestock and wildlife and under close control otherwise. Reviewers come for the spring bluebells, the woodpeckers and jays, and the free car park. Tips from visitors: the squirrels are hard to spot, and there is little signage on the paths, though the Trust points out the wood is small enough that it is hard to get lost. Paths can be muddy, and the number 8 bus stops at Winford Hairpin Bend beside the wood.
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Dog friendly
Starts at the Parish Council car park off Alverstone Road (grid ref SZ566843); 1.2 miles (1.92km), about 45 minutes, easy difficulty, some uneven terrain and undergrowth.
