Geograph - photograph every grid square

Highgate Wood is ancient woodland, with hornbeam, oak and holly reckoned to be the historically significant species. For centuries hornbeams were coppiced - periodically cut back to close to the ground - to provide a supply of wood for (among other uses) charcoal-burning. In the last twenty years a coppicing regime has been re-instated, for certain areas of the wood.

In this shot we are looking north along a path which runs roughly parallel to Muswell Hill Road on the east side of the site. To the left there are a number of tall oaks, while to the right the trees are predominantly hornbeam. Hornbeam leaves open early, so that in this early April shot the area to the right is noticeably greener.

The wood is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation.