Sea Wood - Bardsea
Site Description
Sea Wood is located on the northwest shore of Morecambe Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA), approximately 3 miles south of Ulverston at Bardsea. The wood is prominent on the landscape with few other woods in the immediate locale. The shingle beach of Ulverston Sands makes up the south east boundary with the rough unimproved grassland of Birkrigg Common (common land) to the north.
Sea Wood is a rare example of woodland on boulder clay overlying limestone. As a result it has a diverse composition and uncommon vegetation communities. Few such woods now remain in the county and Sea Wood is the largest example in South Cumbria and as such has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
There is documentary evidence of a long history of woodland on the site having belonged to Lady Jane Grey in the 1500’s whence it was thought to have been seized by the Crown. In the 1950’s Lancashire County Council bought the wood. Sea Wood although split from the rest of Lancashire by the sea, is geographically still within the County Palatine of Lancashire, however the administrative boundary for local Government management is Cumbria. The sea played an important part in the management of the wood, with large oak timbers floated at high tide from the wood to the ship builders in Ulverston.
Within the wood there are three mine shafts and an addit, part of the old copper mining industry that took place on the adjacent Birkrigg Common. More recently the wood was part of Bardsea Country Park. Sea Wood is the largest and one of the few woods in the local area to which there is free public access which compliments the neighbouring access to the sea front and Birkrigg Common. The long distance Cumbria Coastal Path runs either along the seaside boundary, or along the road, depending on the tides.
The 23.49 hectare ancient semi-natural wood is notable for the large number of old oak trees it contains. Much of the eastern and central sections of the wood comprise predominantly sessile oak with ash, sycamore and birch in the canopy and hazel, hawthorn, wild cherry and the occasional holly in the under storey. Wych elm becomes common in the canopy towards the north and west of the wood again with ash, oak, birch, sycamore and wild cherry. Discrete areas of beech and sycamore have been once planted and a small area of larch and ash. The hazel under storey is well developed throughout. Sea Wood is a good example of upland mixed broadleaved woodland (NVC W9) with the lower wood, east of the Coast Road, more characteristic of NVC W8 lowland mixed broadleaved woodland. The ground flora has developed on thin clay/rendzinas soil with the basic influence of limestone throughout and is dominated by bramble (Rubus fruticosus), and dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis) with small areas of ramsons (Allium ursinum) and sanicle (Sanicula europaea) in base rich areas. The presence of wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) and various fern species characteristic of W9 classifications are found in the upper wood, with bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) locally-dominant, and scattered broad buckler (Dryopteris dilatata) and lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina), however notably no rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) is found there. The lower wood has only sparse wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) and ferns along the road edge but spindle (Euonymus europaeus), guelder rose (Vibernum opulus) and the uncommon pale St John’s wort (Hypericum montanum).
Invertebrates are plentiful, particularly on the bramble. Many small mammals habit the ground vegetation and small birds, blackbirds and thrushes are abundant. There is a small seasonal pond in quite dense vegetation in the north east corner of the upper wood and much of the wood is enclosed by dry stone walls, traditional to the area. Over 28 species of lichen have been identified and the mossey rocks within the wood support Peltigera horizontalis, which may be a last relict of a former richer flora.
The woodland is very well used by locals and visitors to the area. There is a small parking area adjacent to the wood and along the beach front; where there are other public facilities.
