Friends of Craven Wood is designed to take forward the work in the woodland on the west side of Whitehawk Hill started by the Craven Vale Community Association with its lottery-assisted work to develop 'A Walk on the Wild Side'. This scheme was designed: to improve access to our nearby woodland with the installation of wooden steps; to increase healthy activities by the provision of steps throughout this very challenging location; to improve education through meetings and links with local schools; and most importantly to improve bio-diversity. What had been allotments until some 40-50 years ago had degenerated into sycamore scrub, and a portion of this has now been removed to make way for a hazel coppice, an orchard of Sussex varieties of apple trees, two plantations of native shrubs and trees, and two wild-flower glades. We have already been repaid - the number of butterfly species has increased from seven to twenty-four since work began in late 2011 - see the full list below.
Craven Wood itself is owned by Brighton and Hove City Council, but the Friends have developed a wide range of habitats under the guidance and tremendous assistance given to us originally by Paul Gorringe, one of the City's Park Rangers, who looked after most of the Council's green lung that is Whitehawk Hill and Sheepcote Valley, before being promoted to manage Brighton's own re-wilding project at Waterfall. We welcomed Nick Lane as his replacement in 2023.
The lottery money has now all been used, and it was felt sensible to set up a 'Friends of' organisation to take over further development of these woods from Craven Vale Community Association, and to apply for further grants. It would also be open to recruit interested volunteers from a much wider area than just the local Association area.
When 'Walk on the Wild Side' (now effectively Friends of Craven Wood) was set up some thirteen years ago in 2011, a census of butterfly species in this part of the woods found just seven varieties, all common butterflies. Now, with all the work done to clear and open up much of the woodland to provide glades and a variety of habitats, we have seen some twenty five different varieties - new ones seen recently for the first time include the Small Blue, the Green-Veined White and the Silver-washed Fritillary. Special butterfly-friendly plants can now be found in the glade area, where - for example - eggs of the Small Blue have now been found several times.
We normally meet between 10am and 1pm on the first or second Saturday of the month (see the 'Contact' page for our planned dates) and occasionally at other times when we are fortunate enough to be offered help from other organisations. If you join our mailing-list we can give you information about such extra activities. We meet at the southern end of The Causeway, BN2 0FP, and we provide all the equipment needed - all we need from you is your enthusiasm and some energy!
Butterflies seen in Craven Wood - with an asterisk for the 'original' seven sightings.
Whites
Small white *
Large white *
Green-veined white
Orange tip
Brimstone *
Browns
Ringlet
Marbled white
Meadow brown
Gatekeeper *
Speckled wood *
Skippers
Large skipper
Small skipper
Essex skipper
Garden Gang
Red admiral
Peacock *
Small tortoiseshell
Painted lady
Comma *
Silver washed fritillary
Blues
Small blue
Chalkhill blue
Common blue
Holly blue
White letter hairstreak
Small copper
Craven Wood itself is owned by Brighton and Hove City Council, but the Friends have developed a wide range of habitats under the guidance and tremendous assistance given to us originally by Paul Gorringe, one of the City's Park Rangers, who looked after most of the Council's green lung that is Whitehawk Hill and Sheepcote Valley, before being promoted to manage Brighton's own re-wilding project at Waterfall. We welcomed Nick Lane as his replacement in 2023.
The lottery money has now all been used, and it was felt sensible to set up a 'Friends of' organisation to take over further development of these woods from Craven Vale Community Association, and to apply for further grants. It would also be open to recruit interested volunteers from a much wider area than just the local Association area.
When 'Walk on the Wild Side' (now effectively Friends of Craven Wood) was set up some thirteen years ago in 2011, a census of butterfly species in this part of the woods found just seven varieties, all common butterflies. Now, with all the work done to clear and open up much of the woodland to provide glades and a variety of habitats, we have seen some twenty five different varieties - new ones seen recently for the first time include the Small Blue, the Green-Veined White and the Silver-washed Fritillary. Special butterfly-friendly plants can now be found in the glade area, where - for example - eggs of the Small Blue have now been found several times.
We normally meet between 10am and 1pm on the first or second Saturday of the month (see the 'Contact' page for our planned dates) and occasionally at other times when we are fortunate enough to be offered help from other organisations. If you join our mailing-list we can give you information about such extra activities. We meet at the southern end of The Causeway, BN2 0FP, and we provide all the equipment needed - all we need from you is your enthusiasm and some energy!
Butterflies seen in Craven Wood - with an asterisk for the 'original' seven sightings.
Whites
Small white *
Large white *
Green-veined white
Orange tip
Brimstone *
Browns
Ringlet
Marbled white
Meadow brown
Gatekeeper *
Speckled wood *
Skippers
Large skipper
Small skipper
Essex skipper
Garden Gang
Red admiral
Peacock *
Small tortoiseshell
Painted lady
Comma *
Silver washed fritillary
Blues
Small blue
Chalkhill blue
Common blue
Holly blue
White letter hairstreak
Small copper