We’re super proud of our woods and keep its location secret from the public to avoid unwanted use and too much footfall. So please don’t share this map publicly or visit the woods outside of publicly advertised events.

Safety Guidelines

Below are directions and suggestions depending on your mode of transport, but first please read our safety briefing, including up-to-date COVID-19 guidelines.

This is really important, we take COVID-19 seriously and ensure that any groups comply with current guidelines. All visitors are sent this page and we ask you to help keep yourself and other attendees safe. By turning up at the YesWoods you acknowledge these guidelines and agree to follow them.

We understand that these guidelines sound serious, and they are. We’re a light hearted bunch but especially at these times feel that ensuring each other’s safety will heighten enjoyment and lessen anxiety.

Covid 19 precautions

Our overriding aim is to keep everyone safe and in particular avoid transmission of the Coronavirus. If you think you may have Covid 19, should be self isolating or showing symptoms please stay at home.  You should only come to the woods if you are well and no one in your household has coronavirus.

Please be mindful that Covid is still with us and follow the national guidance here - Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Whilst at the woods please respect others peoples wishes regarding personal contact and sharing things.

YesWoods safety briefing

General safety points.

This is a natural woodland.  It contains uneven ground, trip hazards, sharp sticks and stinging flora and fauna.  Please exercise appropriate caution to avoid injuring yourself or others.

If you are not confident in a place, using a tool or conducting an activity please stop and advise one of the coordinators.

Please do not run in the woods and avoid piles of sticks or branches which could cause you to trip.

Be aware of loose boughs or branches and do not stand near or under apparently unsafe trees or branches.

Please wear stout footwear and clothing to avoid scrapes and stings etc.  Consider long trousers and sleeves.

Consider suitable eye protection.

If handling sticks and branches etc. please wear gloves.

Be aware of others when working, allow a clear circle around you if swinging a tool or moving large branches.

Keep the end of tools or branches away from your eyes.

Forks/rakes on ground should always point downwards.

Never allow a tool to cause an obstruction/trip hazard.

Use controlled movements, never use excessive force on items.

If something doesn’t feel safe to pick up, then leave it.

Please ensure you drink and eat appropriate to your needs and rest if you feel tired.

Please always stay within eyesight and hearing of other members of the group.

Please keep your distance from people or animals using the footpaths near the woods.

Lift heavy items together and to always lift in the approved manner:

• Feet apart (approx. 12-18”);

• One foot slightly in front of the other;

• Chin in, avoid dropping your head back or forwards;

• Do not kneel. Knees bent in the crouch position – not overbent; Get a firm grip on the load

• Do not change grip whilst carrying;

• Always lift with your back straight, using your legs;

• Lift steadily, do not jerk; 

• Do not hold objects away from body;

• Stop work if you feel a strain - Carrying on may result in serious injury;

• Never walk backwards or run when carrying a heavy load; 

• Do not attempt to lift anything too heavy, even fairly light objects may be very heavy if wet.

• Avoid insects and their nests.  If you are stung please let one of the coordinators know.

If you need any specific medications please bring them with you and if appropriate let the coordinators know you have it and how it should be used.  

Please let us know if you have any specific medical conditions or needs that we may need to be aware of.

Getting to the Woods

IMPORTANT: There is very little signal in the woods so download the maps ahead of travelling, and make sure you’re comfortable with directions. We also recommend downloading What3Words and making a note of our meeting point: describes.photos.play. Please note that this shows the correct location in the woods but we can’t vouch for using the navigation facility via What3Words (in the past people have had trouble with this). Please see the map below for recommended directions.

When searching for a woodland to call our own we kept accessibility in mind, at the same time as wanting to protect the woods from overuse and overcrowding. The woods we found, designated by the green shading on the map below, take about 2 hours from a central London location (90 mins if you get lucky with transport times). The journey is part of the decompression from the city, so enjoy it and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the woods.

When finding a group at the woods, basecamp tends to be around the tree icon in the section of woods north of the bridleway. There is little to no signal in the woods, so ensure the group leader knows you’re coming ahead of time.

Driving

There is no parking directly at the woods.

There’s a parking area at 5) for up to ten vehicles. It’s a little closer to the Wood than the Unicorn pub option (below) and a much nicer walk.

Pub Parking

We recommend parking up at a local pub and walking in (do ask permission to park). The Unicorn in Peppard (Point 3) (Colmore La, RG9 5LX) is a 20 minute walk from the woods, and the Rising Sun (Point 2) (Witheridge Hill, RG9 5PF) is 10-12 minutes walk and has a much larger car park. There’s also a 4th option which a couple of our volunteers have used but we haven’t received ourselves, some verge parking at Point 4, then a nice walk into the woods.

Public Transport

The Unicorn in Peppard (Colmore La, RG9 5LX) has a bus stop with direct buses from Reading Train Station. Henley-on-Thames is the closest train station, but then a 4.5 mile walk.

Walking or Cycling

Using the nearby pubs as a navigation waypoint: The Unicorn in Peppard (Colmore La, RG9 5LX) is a 20 minute walk from the woods along the bright yellow track (the first few hundred metres are along a quiet country road, and the rest a lovely walk through woodland), and the Rising Sun (Witheridge Hill, RG9 5PF) is 10-12 minutes walk along the orange track.

The illustration below closes in on our woodland, shown above in shaded green. Note that the illustration is rotated anti clockwise.

Our recommended meeting spot is at the orange tent symbol, near the gate at the bottom of the long, grassy glade leading from Colmore Lane.