Pear Wood

An activity with Biodiversity Action Team (North London)

Activity date: Monday 23rd June 2025

Start time: 10:00
Finish time: 15:00

Activity description

Join us at Pear Wood - we'll be managing the historic monument of Grim's Dyke, clearing bracken, bramble etc

Meeting place

Meeting point at the entrance to Pear Wood on Wood Lane

what3words meeting point: ///ended.gosh.dices

Activity location

Pear Wood, Wood Lane, Off Dennis lane Stanmore, HA1 2UY

Site description

Pear Wood is ancient woodland (there are mentions of the wood dating back to around 1250) and lies on the fast-draining pebble gravel and claygate beds of the Harrow Weald ridge. Where the ground is open this gives rise to a heathland vegetation dominated by bracken and gorse. However, the vast majority of Pear Wood is wooded, the dominant trees being beech, oak and birch with smaller numbers of sweet chestnut, hornbeam, crab apple, wild cherry, ash, rowan and Scots pine. Many plants growing below the trees are characteristic of ancient woodland, and are therefore not found in the majority of Harrowâs woods: examples are wood millet, wood poa, creeping soft-grass, wood and remote sedges, black bryony, hairy wood-rush, tall brome, wood sage and dogâs mercury.

Cutting across Pear Wood is the ancient earthwork of Grimâs Dyke, which is kept clear of trees to reduce damage to the structure by tree roots. The origin and purpose of Grimâs Dyke are unclear: it may date from the Roman occupation or from the 5th or 6th century; it may be defensive but is more likely to be a boundary marker. The line of Grimâs Dyke is also clear in Harrow Weald Common to the west, but the connecting section has dissapeared.

Contact

Mat Pendergast

Telephone: 07823444325
Email: m.pendergast@tcv.org.uk
Website: www.tcv.org.uk/batnorth

Please bring

• packed lunch
• suitable outdoor clothes
• suitable outdoor footwear

Further info

All volunteers must be 18 plus, or contact us for a consent form (15 and under must be accompanied by a parent/carer) BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL. For further info and booking, contact Mat at m.pendergast@tcv.org.uk

Site Facilities

• Nearest Toilets - none

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