About the reserve

Seasonal highlights

In spring, the woodland floor is vibrant with primroses, violets and early-purple orchids. In May, Foxholes is awash with bluebells, and by summer, the tall spikes of foxgloves are in their full glory. Later in the year, you can enjoy spectacular autumn colours, and Foxhole's fabulous fungi, with over 200 species recorded.

Everything for bats

Ancient woodlands like Foxholes provide just the right environment for bats to flourish. The Trust has been working to ensure that bats have everything they need here. Surveys have identified seven different species, including the rare Bechstein's bat which relies on the presence of tall trees where it seeks out insects in the high branches and leaves.

Birds and butterflies

Birdlife includes nuthatch, often seen creeping up and down trees, and treecreeper, which only creeps up the trunks. A colony of white admiral butterflies flourishes thanks to a plentiful supply of wild honeysuckle, the caterpillar's food plant. You can also see large, small and green-veined whites, the pretty comma, and ringlets. In all, 23 species of butterfly have been recorded on the reserve.

Reserve champions - supporting their favourite reserve Dr Elizabeth Birchall

Things to do

• Try our circular Wildlife Walk (1.75 miles).  Just follow the badger waymarkers.
• Explore the reserve and surrounding area with our Foxholes Wild Walk. Starting in Shipton-under-Wychwood, this 11km circular walk takes in ancient woodland at Foxholes nature reserve. OS Explorer Map OL45, 1:25,000 scale, covers the route of this walk.
• Look out for our autumn fungus forays. 

Your photographs of Foxholes

Share your Foxholes photographs with us! Add them to our BBOWT Flickr group, and tag them with 'Foxholes'.