Fiddlers Elbow

Fiddlers Elbow is a steep sided, woodland reserve located in the Upper Wye Valley just to the northeast of the market town of Monmouth, and close to the Wales/England border.

The reserve forms part of the Fiddlers Elbow Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Wye Valley Woodlands/ Coetiroedd Dyffryn Gwy Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

Grid Ref: SO526139 Area: 44.93 hectares

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Visiting

The surface in the Woodland Trust section of the reserve is natural and is largely firm underfoot.

The Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail section is stone surfaced, but can nevertheless get slippery when it’s raining.

Access has recently been improved for powered scooter users at the Western side of the reserve; however, drivers should still take care under poor weather conditions.

How to get there

The reserve is bisected by the A4136. Access to the eastern section of the reserve is via a steep path from the lay-by on Hancock Road.

Take special care around the various paths crossing this section, as many can be steep, muddy and slippery - especially when it’s raining.

Transport
A bus service is available servicing the eastern section of the reserve, stopping at Wyesham village near the start of Hadnock Road. For more information contact Traveline Cymru on 0871 2002233 or visit www.traveline-cymru.org.uk

Access to the Western section of the reserve is limited to entry at the Offas dyke path.

Facilities

There are no facilities on site and the nearest public toilets are in Monmouth some two-and-a-half kilometres away.

Who looks after it?

The Woodland Trust manages the eastern part of the reserve. Please phone the trust on 01686 412508 for further information or guidance.

The western section of the reserve is managed by a private owner, in partnership with the Countryside Council for Wales.

You can contact our southern team via the CCW enquiries help line on 0845 1306229 or by email at enquires@ccw.gov.uk. You can also write to us at the address under ‘Contact the team’.

Wildlife

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Fiddlers Elbow is a good example of semi-natural broadleaved woodland. The canopy is dominated mainly by oak and lime, and there is a good ground flora of canopy seedlings and flowers such as:

Bluebell
Yellow archangel
Primrose

Dead wood, whether standing or rotting on the woodland floor, provides important habitats for invertebrates, fungi and other woodland species.

Dormice are also present in the wood; they dislike coming down to ground level and require thick ground coverage to move around freely. These incredible little creatures feed on a variety of trees and shrubs such as:

Hazel
Bramble
Oak
Honeysuckle

Roe deer are regularly seen in the woods of Fiddlers Elbow. However, these pose a bit of a problem for the management of the area, since too many deer feeding on seedlings will prevent regeneration of the trees. Consequently, some areas of the wood are fenced to discourage them from entering.