Wyre Forest Callow Hill area
Wimperhill
Wood
Key
Parking
110
Do
w
Information
Toilets
All access
Brook
les
45
d is
70
e
us
Na
a il
dr
tio
na
ycle
lC
Ne
tw
ork
y
wa
Cafe
Play area
Picnic area
90
90
Horse riding
New Parks
Buzzard Trail
Woodpecker
Trail
110
110
7
Wren Trail
8
New Parks
Bench
Corner
6
Park
Family
Mountain Bike
Trail
Black
Gate
Broo
9
k
120
National
Cycle Route
6
Key to trees
Public
footpaths
1
0
8
Bore
Hole
Emergency
numbered
posts
100
5
Arboretum
Public
bridleways
10
9
140
200m
3
13
3
10
3
8
9
10
11
12
13
11
2
9
Doghanging
Coppice
2
3
16
3
Park
Pool
3
Callow
Hill13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
4
7
5
5
Woodland
Giants
NB: Some numbers relate to
individual trees and some to
plantations of a single species.
11
4
15
13
5
12
Albert’s
Oak
140
1
9
10
10
1
8
170
As you learn the trees see if
you can spot them at other
locations around the route.
(Eg silver birch is very common
just about everywhere!)
4
12
150
14
3
Discovery
Centre
1
160
2
d
B ew
ley
Wyre Visitor Centre
Tenbur
0
scale ok
y Wells
European Larch
Holly
Douglas Fir
Oak
Silver Birch
Wild Service
True Service
(Whitty Pear)
Ash
Scots Pine
Corsican Pine
Alder Buckthorn
Hazel
Hawthorn
A456
You will also come across
different tree species on this
route - look at their leaves,
buds and bark and see if you
can identify what they are by
using a book or the internet.
500m
Use this map to find an example of this tree when you next visit Wyre.
Alternatively, to print a bigger version click here.
Holly
Holly - identification
Holly - Ilex aquifolium
It is difficult to confuse this evergreen tree with any other.
* Flowers and seed
Male and female flowers are small and white on separate
trees.
The berries are prominent, starting green then becoming
red in September.
Folklore
What’s in a name?
Holly means “holy”.
Holly is associated with the
death and rebirth symbolism
of winter in both Pagan and
Christian lore and is important
to the Winter Solstice. In
Arthurian legend, Gawain
(representing the Oak King
of summer) fought the Green
Knight, who was armed with a
holly club to represent winter.
It was thought to be unlucky
to cut down a holly tree.
Its evergreen nature and
long-lasting berries signified
an association with eternity.
It used to be planted near
houses to ward off lightening.
Holly is our commonest native evergreen tree, it is so
popular that it is widely grown in gardens and there are
numerous cultivated versions grown for their colour.
Native Holly is an oblong large shrub or small tree with
a confusing array of branches. The attractive pea-sized
red berries are poisonous. The margins of its leaves are
spiny.
Size
Shrub up to 6m tall.
* Leaves
Tough, shiny and dark green with
undulating margins and lobes
ending in sharp spines. Upper
leaves are often less spiky as
there is less risk of being grazed.
Age
Up to 300 years old.
www.foresteducation.org/
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* Bark
Smooth, grey and thin
Holly - associated fungi and lichens
Holly - associated wildlife (insects)
Holly flowers provide a good nectar source for
pollinating insects such as bees and bumblebees.
Wildlife Spotter
To download an insect
spotter chart click here
*Holly Speckle - Trachila ilicina
A common saprophyte on dead holly
leaves.
* Holly Blue Butterfly
Caterpillars feed on holly leaves
in Spring.
* Holly Leaf Miner insect
This is the fly, Phytomyza ilicis. Its
larvae (maggots) mine the leaves
of Holly. Affected leaves are very
easy to see in Wyre.
Holly - associated wildlife (birds and
mammals)
The holly has adapted to have spines to deter cattle
and other wildlife from grazing the foliage. Leaves of
trees over 3 meters often have no spines higher up
as there is less risk of being grazed.
Wildlife Spotter
To download a bird
spotter chart click here
Wildlife Spotter
To download an animal clues
spotter chart click here
* Redwing
They feed on the berries.
Holly provides dense protective shelter and good
nesting sites for many birds.
* Fieldfare
They feed on the berries.
* Song or Mistle Thrush
They feed on the berries.
* Fallow Deer
Browse on the young leaves
(they have tough skin inside
their mouths1).
Holly - timber properties
Holly - uses past and present
Holly is a beautiful white wood with an almost invisible fine grain which is straight
or irregular depending on the shape of the log. It is strong and heavy and looks
very much like ivory.
Holly is mainly used for small turned pieces, engraving, and
can be dyed black as a substitute for ebony. The hammers in
harpsichords and the butts of billiard cues can be made of holly.
It is difficult to dry, and to prevent distortion, it is best cut into small sizes. Once
dry it is prone to movement under changing conditions of humidity. It is a
hard wood, difficult to machine, but with care can be finished to a very smooth
surface.
In the past there were more uses of holly including whips for
horses. The leaves are also useful as they provide a nutritious
feed for livestock. It was once grown as winter fodder.
It can be stained and polished very effectively and is used in decorative inlays for
furniture.
Holly is a traditional material for Christmas decorations.
It is not resistant to fungal attack.
Excellent wood for burning.
It was one of the three timbers used in the construction of
chariot wheel shafts.
It was used in spear shafts also. The qualities of a spear shaft
are balance and directness, as the spear must be hefted to be
thrown. The holly indicates directed balance and vigour to fight if
the cause is just.
Holly - activity
Make simple Christmas decorations by collecting holly leaves and spraying them
silver or dipping the spiny edges first in glue and then in glitter.