Kingley Vale celebrating 70th birthday as National Nature Reserve

October 10, 2022

Rachel Guy, Reserve Manager at Kingley Vale, writes about a very special year at one of the most iconic locations in the National Park.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the designation of Kingley Vale as a National Nature Reserve (NNR), we’ve been celebrating the occasion in style.

Located just north of Chichester, Kingley Vale boasts the largest ancient yew forest in Britain, and perhaps one of the best examples in Europe.

Beneath the dense canopy, it’s easy to see why humans have been enchanted by the site as it feels like you’ve entered another world.

The red branches of the trees, many over 500 years old, envelope you as you walk amongst them, all sound muted.

As you emerge from the forest, a wonderful mosaic of rare chalk grassland and scrub take over.

In summer, the site is alive with birds such as yellowhammer singing from the treetops, and insects buzzing through the grassland as they flit between the specialised flowers; birds-foot trefoil, salad burnett, scabious, to name a few.

Raptors take to the skies above the coombe and bronze age burial mounds; red kite, buzzard, peregrine falcon. Winter sees the dramatic weather swoop through the valley and overwintering birds take up residence.

This wonderful mix of habitats and history is what makes Kingley so special, and something worth celebrating.