Lion Wood rests on the outskirts of Norwich city centre in Thorpe Hamlet. About a third of the woodland is thought to be ancient, with the remainder dating back at least 200 years to the 1800s when the surrounding landscape was a mosaic of farmland and heath. Two steep sided valleys carved into the woodland floor flow down from the North towards the River Yare in the South, characterising the area’s history as a post glacial landscape.
Mature oaks and sycamore form a dense upper canopy, interspersed by pockets of hornbeam, beech and sweet chestnut that add an interesting twist to the woodland’s structure. Under the great limbs of ancient trees there is a surprisingly light and airy feel, broken only by a scattered understory of holly, bird cherry and hazel.
A multitude of criss-crossing paths takes you on journeys that are never the same twice, and a wide avenue of beech trees from the entrance on Telegraph Lane whisper a tale of a great house on the hill from days gone by.
Habitats - Woodland
When to visit –The woodland comes alive in early spring with the sound of birdsong overhead a carpet of bluebell and red campion. It is equally beautiful in late September and October as the leaves begin to turn hues of copper and gold, and a great variety of different fungi begin to emerge.
Associated Groups - Managed by Norwich City Council