Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Wood

Among the many Royal-named woods in the National Forest, this wood is the crown of them all. To mark her 60 years on the throne, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Wood was established in 2012 in north-west Leicestershire. More than 300,000 native trees have been planted across this extensive Woodland Trust-owned site, which features a lake, bird hide and trails. A former open cast coal mine, the site now has an abundance of wildlife, including skylarks, buzzards and the rare hen harrier.

The eastern end is home to mute swans, little grebes, tufted ducks, terns and mallards. Other wildlife spotted include deer and brown hares. The beautiful young woodland includes oak, field maple, silver birch, beech and hornbeam. Bluebell and wood anemone light up the forest floor in the ancient woodland areas in springtime. At the lake you will find vegetation including bull rush and yellow iris.

There are enjoyable walks both on the site and trails that link up with the National Forest Way. Several archaeological finds have been discovered over the years. These include a number of items dating from the Neolithic period onwards, such as flint shards, a Bronze Age axe in mint condition which was found by a farm labourer in the 1970s, and medieval pottery.

• Bird hide for bird watching
• Earth artwork by Rosie Leventon
• Information centre
• Picnic area
• Toilets at Coalville Market
• Walking trails

• Local car parking
• No buses run to/from Normanton le Health but there are several buses from Leicester to Coalville and from Coalville to Ravenstone