Large oak, beech and hemlock (fir) trees along with birch, holly, hazel and willow.

Being part of a bigger forest and with its valuable pocket of deciduous woodland, Oak Croft Wood is rich in wildlife. Inhabited by a wide range of woodland birds, buzzards and tawny owls are never very far away. Blackbirds, chiffchaffs, robins and wrens love the denser areas of undergrowth and the insects and berries found amongst the array of plants that grow here. Plenty of natural deadwood is fabulous for insects of all kinds and this in turn is a rich food source for the birds.

Deer, fox, brown hare and badger all pass through. Look out for their tracks and signs.

Flocks of tits move through the canopy and woodpeckers and treecreepers can often be seen too.

The watercourse is a great and obvious draw for wildlife and the grass and flower-filled tracks and rides are a haven for butterflies and bees.

Part way into the wood, a rustic bench is located in amongst the bluebells, overlooking the veteran trees. A great spot to sit and infuse the healing power of the natural surroundings.

The ride-stop entrance to the wood is reached on good stone tracks and from here, a footpath leads through the tall trees along an old extraction route. This reaches a grassy track, bordering the watercourse, which runs along the edge of the compartment containing the older trees.

A grassy ride runs the length of the northern boundary, within the property. The neighbouring woodland that borders this track has a right of access along it as far as the first drain culvert.

The shooting and mineral rights are included in the sale.

There are no public rights of way in the wood.

The Internal Drainage Board has a right of access to maintain the watercourse.

The wood is an ideal project wood for an owner who would like to keep fit and active, shaping this ancient wood for future generations. For instance, restoring the coppiced hazel to a 7-10 year cutting rotation or clearing glades amongst the birch and bracken and carrying out planting to further diversify the wood.

Thinning some of the conifers near the entrance could be beneficial for the old oaks and a more open spacing would help any remaining conifers reach their potential too.

There’s no shortage of firewood amongst the birch and the new owner may enjoy sitting around a campfire with friends and family on occasion, listening to the owls hoot as the dusk draws in.

The neighbouring village of Brafferton is a charming settlement; merged with Helperby and situated on the eastern bank of the River Swale, the location has been an important strategic crossing point for centuries. In the centre of the village is a block of buildings erected in 1873, by the late James Coates esq. (d. 1905), comprising of a reading room, institute, a cottage hospital and four almshouses for widows. An attractive fountain was also erected in 1897. A fascinating map from 1794, of the Manor of Brafferton and depicting the wood is available for the new owner.