In 2018, my wife and I were preparing for early retirement. Wanting to do some volunteering, we spotted a sign in our local woodland in Frodsham asking, “Could you be a friend of Hob Hey Wood.” Hob Hey Wood Friends Group was born, and so began a five-year, ongoing journey of discovery involving ancient trees, secretive birds, fabulous fungi, rare butterflies, and gorgeous wildflowers.  

We’ve gazed in wonder at thousands of bluebells, their cerulean blooms waving in the breeze. We’ve watched sparrowhawks rear their young, seen badgers cavorting through the wood, and enjoyed the songs of warblers as they sing hidden from view among the leaves. Being a member of Hob Hey Wood Friends Group has given us so many experiences over the years. We’ve learned how to maintain and improve this lovely place, learning not only woodland management techniques, but also just how precious this environment is, and how incredibly biodiverse. 

The group seeks to manage the woodland both for visitors and for the wildlife that lives there, as well as to promote Hob Hey, an area that many people do not know exists. 

Hob Hey Wood is owned by Frodsham Town Council which works closely to support the group’s activities. Since 2018, we have steadily improved the wood’s visitor facilities: repairing paths and boardwalks, building new fencing, installed a noticeboard and bench, as well as keeping the walkways clear of encroaching vegetation.  

We hold a monthly volunteer morning; everyone is welcome, and all tools and training are provided, which gives local people the chance to learn about the wood and how best to care for it. Feedback from members has been extremely positive citing lots of benefits such as outdoor exercise, being in nature, learning about wildlife, and enjoying meeting like minded other people.   

Promoting Hob Hey is important as there have been previous threats to the wood. It’s now owned by the council and protected from development, but the more people care for this special place, the safer it will be for future generations.  

We host a guided walk as part of the annual Frodsham Festival of Walks, as well as leading themed guided walks, such as fungal forays, and wildflower discovery. I’ve given many talks to local groups about Hob Hey and its special nature; talks illustrated with photos I’ve taken of its beautiful environment and inhabitants. 

For me, the best part of being in our friends’ group is the opportunity to help nature. The wood still contains many rare species only found in ancient woodland, yet it is under constant threat from invasive species. We control the spread of vigorous plants, and remove saplings of non-native trees, replacing them with native trees.  

We’ve made real progress. One area was densely packed with sycamore saplings; the woodland floor dark and empty. We removed the saplings and planted rowan and birch whips. A few years on and what was bare earth has become a riot of beautiful bluebells in spring. 

In the 1970s, Dutch elm disease ravaged Britain, killing off millions of trees. Elms are the host plant of the white-letter hairstreak butterfly, so their population crashed catastrophically. What was once common became rare, especially in Cheshire. 

Elms are present in the wood, and I was delighted to discover that this rare butterfly is still living in Hob Hey! The joy of this discovery was tempered with sadness as I realised that the elms are still being killed by Dutch elm disease… 

To protect the colony, we obtained a disease resistant elm. This tree was planted three years ago in a clearing in the wood. Hopefully it will thrive, send out suckers to grow new trees, and provide a permanent home for the beautiful white-letter hairstreak. Each time I pass that tree, I look forward to when the butterflies have colonised the elm once it matures. 

At least seven species of bat live in Hob Hey including the rare Nathusius’ pipistrelle. One of our group is a licensed bat handler who suggested that we initiate a bat monitoring programme. Boxes were purchased this year, funded by the council, and installed in the wood, increasing the number of roosting sites as well as allowing monitoring of their numbers. So far, we’ve not found any resident bats but when they’re there, we’ll make the box monitoring days open to the public to give people the chance to see these enigmatic creatures. I can’t wait… 

As befits its overlooked nature, I found that few records exist of the wood’s biodiversity. I took on the challenge to identify and record every species I could. My amateur efforts have borne fruit as I’ve recorded over 600 species so far, including some very rare species that are almost unknown in Cheshire. I am certain there are more surprises to be found such is the richness of this little ancient woodland. 

Our group has made a huge difference to the wood and to its use by local people. More people than ever before wander under its ancient trees, enjoying the wonderful wildflower spectacles of spring, the fungal richness of autumn and the stark barren beauty of winter.  

This popularity has come at a price, however, the paths in the southern part of the wood have become too worn for the group to repair. We have commenced a crowdfunding project to raise the money to replace all paths, bridges and boardwalks in the south wood with composite parts that should last for decades. We’re hoping that people can get involved by pledging small amounts of money towards the project as we seek investment from organisations that can help. If you’d like to help, please click on the link below: 

www.spacehive.com/hob-hey-wood-pathways 

If you’d like to learn more about Hob Hey Wood and the friends group, more information can be found on our website and Facebook page. 

facebook.com/groups/879397185602368 

hobheywood.wixsite.com/friends