These heavily wooded, old gravel pits lie on the junction of two main roads. Pathways through the woods are well used by the public. There are also damper areas, resulting from the gravel workings, and some dense scrub.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
The Gravel Pit, Northwood
Borough: Hillingdon
Grade: Borough Grade II
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 5.82 ha
Description
Wildlife
The woods are dominated by sycamore and common hawthorn, interspersed with beech, aspen and pedunculate oak, some of which clearly pre-date the other trees. The woodland floor has some dense scrub and is criss-crossed by paths. Species at the woodland edge include ground elder, black horehound, bracken, clustered dock and violets. The shadier areas are home to lords-and-ladies, enchanter's nightshade and broad buckler-fern. The damper depressions support a wide range of insects.The narrow extensions to the site bordering Copse Wood Way are dominated by even-aged hornbeams, with pedunculate oak and false acacia. Here there is a dense shrub layer including holly. At ground level is extensive ivy and bracken, interspersed with dog rose and white-flowered cyclamen.Facilities
Information (on signs).
View of Northwood gravel pit © Alan Preece
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