Bashfords Wood

Wood, Forest in Sussex Mid Sussex

England

Bashfords Wood

Road in a rural area Taken from TQ322400 looking almost north shows the smaller of two roads in the square, which is very rural. — Road in a rural area Credit: SGBailey

Bashfords Wood is a picturesque woodland located in Sussex, England. Covering an area of approximately 50 acres, it is a charming forest that offers a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The wood is characterized by its diverse range of tree species, including oak, beech, and ash. These towering trees create a dense canopy that provides shade and shelter for a variety of wildlife. Visitors to Bashfords Wood can expect to encounter a rich array of flora and fauna, such as bluebells, wood anemones, and bird species including woodpeckers and song thrushes.

The wood is crisscrossed by a network of well-maintained footpaths and bridleways, making it easily accessible for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders. These paths offer visitors the opportunity to explore the wood and discover its hidden gems, including a small stream that meanders through the heart of the forest.

Bashfords Wood is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and families alike. It provides an ideal setting for picnics, wildlife spotting, and peaceful walks amidst nature's beauty. The wood also offers educational opportunities, with interpretation boards dotted throughout, providing information about the various tree species and wildlife that can be found within the area.

Overall, Bashfords Wood is a serene and enchanting woodland that offers a delightful escape into nature. Its natural beauty, diverse wildlife, and well-maintained paths make it an idyllic location for outdoor enthusiasts seeking a peaceful retreat in the heart of Sussex.

Show me another place!

If you have any feedback on the listing, please let us know in the comments section below.

Bashfords Wood Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 51.13159/-0.10596002 or Grid Reference TQ3238. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Road in a rural area

Taken from TQ322400 looking almost north shows the smaller of two roads in the square, which is very rural.

SGBailey

A very rural square

Taken from the b.o.a.t. at TQ327405 looking west. A very rural square.

SGBailey

The Hedgehog Inn, Copthorne

Formerly the Effingham Arms the Hedgehog is now a restaurant pub and has acquired the adjacent house (in the left of shot) to provide guest rooms. In a sense it's assumed the function of the old-fashioned inn. The exterior has hardly changed since the 1950s Link

. It's the occasional meeting place for local members of the Guinea Pig Club Link

who will have witnessed the changes over the years.

Andy Potter

Accommodation for the Hedgehog

House converted into guest rooms to provide accommodation for TQ3340 : The Hedgehog Inn, Copthorne. The structure built on to the right of the house looks new but may simply have been repointed as it appears on a photograph from the 1950s Link

Andy Potter

Garden Centre at Snowhill

Some large gold fish in the pond.

Elliott Simpson

Haskins Garden Centre at Snowhill

Elliott Simpson

Haskins Garden Centre at Snowhill

Elliott Simpson

Entrance to Haskins garden centre

Always busy as shown by the queue to get in at a quarter past three on a Sunday afternoon! The big black barn functions as a restaurant for shoppers. There is also a Hobbycraft tucked away behind the restaurant.

Andy Potter

New road layout ahead

The sign on B2037 Effingham Road refers to the substitution of a roundabout for the staggered crossroads with the B2028. This is the third layout here - it started as a normal crossroads.

Robin Webster

Hedgehog Inn - round the corner

The inn is on the corner of Effingham Road and Effingham Lane - the view is from the latter.

Robin Webster

Haskins Snowhill Garden Centre

David Howard

Copthorne Bank

David Howard

Judge's Corner

Roundabout completed in 2009 at the junction of the B2028 West Park Road and the B2037 Snow Hill/Effingham Road. Originally this was an ordinary crossroads, but around 1960 it was turned into a staggered junction in an attempt to improve traffic flow. However, this proved inadequate, with significant queues building up in both directions on West Park Road. Various options were considered in the 1990s (including even then the provision of a roundabout), but it was not until 2009 that the work was completed. Although I have not found any evidence supporting this, I assume that the name Judge's Corner refers to John Henderson, who had a house built in adjacent Effingham Park in the 1870s and who among other things was a magistrate.

Ian Capper

Haskins Garden Centre

Starting in the 1950s as a nursery owned by a Mr Crutchfield, the site was later expanded and developed into Snow Hill Garden Centre. In 2003 it was acquired by a Dorset based company, Haskins, hence its current name.

Ian Capper

Haskins Garden Centre

Ian Capper

Haskins Garden Centre

Starting in the 1950s as a nursery owned by a Mr Crutchfield, specialising in Dahlias, the site was later expanded and developed into Snow Hill Garden Centre. In 2003 it was acquired by a Dorset based company, Haskins, hence its current name. This building houses the Centre's café/restaurant.

Ian Capper