Top Lodge Fineshade Wood

 

Top Lodge at Fineshade Woods is an ambitious partnership redevelopment project, which has used local and natural materials and the latest renewable energy design, to develop 18th Century buildings into a state of the art recreation and information complex. The site offers visitors a unique opportunity to get inside the local environment, to explore it, to see local wildlife up close, and learn about local crafts and the heritage of the area. The new visitor centre is open daily from 10am to 5pm. You can walk the new trails then refresh yourself at the Lodge Cafe, or browse in the RSPB shop. There are a host of activities and events throughout the year for people of all ages to enjoy. The vast majority of the materials used for the development were local and naturally sourced, including green oak and ash timber from sustainably-managed ancient woodlands. Sheep's wool has been used as eco-friendly roof insulation material. The site also has one of the biggest reed bed sewerage systems in the country, with an organic five-tier cleansing process, as well as a rain water collection system, and a wood-fuel heating system supplied from the surrounding forest.

Mill Wood Trail
The Smelters' Walk
Dales Wood Trail

Cycling trails

Family Cycle Trail

How to get there:

Top Lodge Fineshade Wood is in Fineshade Wood which is part of Rockingham Forest. Stamford (Lincolnshire) is the nearest town or village.

Top Lodge and Fineshade are signposted from the A43, between Stamford and Corby, opposite the turning for Wakerley Woods. The postcode for SatNavs and Route Finders is NN17 3BB.

OS Grid Reference: SP 980 983

Other places to go in Fineshade Wood

• The Little Barn Conference and Meeting Room
  

Facilities:

	The new visitor centre is open from 10am to 5pm daily (except Christmas Day).The RSPB centre sells a range of goods from binoculars to bird feeders. Outside are places to picnic and an exciting Wildplay area. The Little Barn, a beautifully restored Grade II listed building, is available for hire for talks, meetings and conferences. Please contact the district office for details.
	The Lodge cafe is open 7 days a week, serving a wide range of home cooked food.
	Toilets are located in the entrance atrium of the Visitor Centre.

Activities

	Mill Wood Trail The Smelters' Walk Dales Wood Trail
	Family Cycle Trail
	A joint Forestry Commission and RSPB education programme is run from Top Lodge Visitor Centre. For more details please contact the office on the details below.
	Red kites can be seen most days throughout the year. Live footage from Red Kite nesting sites can be seen in the on site RSPB shop and big barn during the breeding season. There is a wildlife hide in the woods.
	The wood has been mapped for orienteering and is available for club events.
	The Little Barn, a beautifully restored Grade II listed building, is available for hire for conferences, meetings and talks. Please contact the district office for details.

Contact: