Blake's Wood
Enjoy a series of nice woodland trails in this pretty wood in Chelmsford. There's a car park on Riffhams Chase in Little Baddow. From here you can pick up the paths taking you through the woods and along Blake's stream. In the woods you will find oak, hornbeam and sweet chestnut trees with bluebells in the spring. Look out for birds including hawfinches and nightingales.
It's easy to extend your walk by heading south to Lingwood Common and Danbury Common. Here you'll find cycling and walking trails with woodland, common, heath, wild flowers, streams and bogs. Danbury Country Park is also very close by.
Postcode
CM3 4AU - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locationsPlease click here for more information
Blake's Wood Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Blake's Wood Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Blake's Wood OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Blake's Wood Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Pubs/Cafes
If you head into Little Baddow you could visit the The General Arms. They serve good quality food which you can enjoy in the lovely large garden area on summer days. You can find them at the Ridge with postcode CM3 4SX for your sat navs.
Dog Walking
As you'd imagine the woodland trails are ideal for dog walking so you'll probably see other owners on a fine day. The General Arms mentioned above is also dog friendly.
Further Information and Other Local Ideas
To the south and the east there are lots more good trails to explore through Lingwood Common and Woodham Walter Common.
The circular Little Baddow Walk starts from the nearby village and visits the picturesque Paper Mill Lock on the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation before heading to the wood.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Essex Walks page.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Footbridge over a stream in the wood. This footbridge crosses the stream which runs through Blakes Wood. Trees have been growing in the wood for 10.000 years, since the last ice age. The site has been managed by man for many centuries using the technique of coppicing - cutting trees to the ground and then allowing them to regrow in following years. Traditionally this process provided a regular supply of timber for fences and firewood, but is now recognised as also being beneficial for wildlife by encouraging woodland flowers and providing an ideal habitat for insects and birds.
Blakes Wood Car Park. This area, just off Riffhams Chase, serves as a car park for people visiting this National Trust Woodland. Muddy in the winter, but generally in good condition in the summer. Blakes wood consists of over 100 acres of woodland, with hornbeam, chestnut and oak predominating.
The wood has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest by English Nature due to its ancient woodland status and because the woodland is noted for its thick carpet of bluebells & anemones. It is also an important site of very rare woodland plants such as moschatel, narrow buckler fern, white climbing furnitory and several others.
The wood is famous for its springtime display of bluebells, covering many acres. The best times to visit are the last week in April and the first week in May.