WOODHOUSE RIDGE & SUGARWELL HILL

Description : Woodhouse Ridge first catered for public access in 1846, when it was mainly open moor with a network of footpaths. It was later fashioned as a public park in the late Victorian/early Edwardian period and it was around this time that Batty's Wood was acquired as additional land for the park.

To the west is open land (partially reclaimed) which is divided from the rest of the site by Meanwood Beck. To the east of this is Batty's Wood and further east again are more open and ornamental planting schemes of trees and shrubs.

The semi-natural woodland contains species of oak, sycamore, ash and cherry and healthy natural regeneration along with new plantings, are ensuring continuous growth and tree cover.

Feature trees planted away from the woodland include sycamore, rowan, laburnum, poplar and sweet chestnut.

The site contains a Grade II listed feature, the stone Packhorse Bridge, which is now used as a footbridge across Meanwood Beck.

The Woodhouse Ridge Action Group is heavily involved in the management of 'the ridge' and, in association with Leeds City Council, undertakes a wide variety of voluntary projects involving large numbers of local people.

Sugarwell Hill is a mixed broadleaf and conifer plantation, established in the 1980s following land reclamation. Following thinning works, there is now an abundance of willow coppice and natural regeneration, which will provide for natural understorey and a mixed age woodland.

The woodland forms an attractive backdrop to the Meanwood Valley Urban Farm and comprises a mosaic of maturing trees and open space habitats.

Access and facilities : Woodhouse Ridge is accessible from Wood Lane in Headingley and from Delph Lane in Woodhouse and a network of footpaths is still in place since the site was originally given full public access.

Sugarwell Hill has numerous footpaths running through the site and pedestrian access is from Sugarwell Mount, Potternewton Crescent, Scott Wood Lane, Scott Hall Street, Lorry Bank and Meanwood Road.

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