Our Land>

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Sweden Wood is a 2.2ha site, on the north eastern outskirts of Ambleside, just off the popular path up to the beautiful Scandale Valley. It forms part of a wooded valley following Scandale Beck.

There are wonderful views across in particular to the Langdales, out across the Rydal valley.  We have helped Friends Member Dr Julian Eldridge with its management since 2012 and the wood was gifted to us in his Will in 2021.  With the help of a Forestry Commission grant we have planted the wood with native broadleaved species and in particular winter berry species to help attract declining species such as Spotted Flycatcher and Wood Warblers.  There are also a number of exotic species of trees planted by Dr Eldridge.  

Our volunteers have also dug a small pond. This wood is highly unusual because of its historic past.  A survey was undertaken by the Lake District National Park Authority in 2012.  Although there are no features that appear on the Historic Environment Record, there are a number of terraces and other features which are of interest.

From Ordnance Survey maps, these seem to pre date 1863 and are likely to have been features as part of a landscaped garden, as they are of higher then agricultural quality.

Extreme care needs to be taken in this wood as there are some very steep drops off the top of these terraces!

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Virtual Tour

Pay a virtual visit to Sweden Wood with an aerial 360 degree panorama. Explore the woodland, find out about its history, our work in the woodland, our achievements and our plans for the future; to build on the historic planting and value of this unique site enhance the landscape, and provide a haven of tranquillity and carbon sink to benefit people and nature.

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Directions

Why is it called Sweden Wood?

Author Robert Gambles says this about nearby Sweden Bridge: 

Sweden Bridge:

‘The bridge on the land cleared by burning.’ Sweden, from Old Norse, svithinn or swidden meaning ‘burnt’.

*From Lake District Place-names by Robert Gambles