Coleorton Wood

Coleorton Wood is a six-hectare mixed, young woodland planted during the early days of The National Forest on the site of the former "Bug and Wink" colliery. It is owned and managed by Coleorton Parish Council.

The wood is accessed from Pitt Lane, off Coleorton Moor, Coleorton, Leicestershire, LE67 8FS.

The first Woodland Management Plan was drawn up in early 2013 following the transfer of ownership to the Parish Council. The Plan has been reviewed by the Coleorton and New Lount Management Group and the Parish Council - February 2025.

There are several seats and picnic tables through-out the wood. Please respect the wood and its residents and take home your rubbish. Dogs are welcome but please keep them under control. Please clean up after your dog and take it home with you as there are no dog waste bins in the wood.

The wood was planted in 1991 by Leicestershire County Council as one of the first new plantings in the National Forest, sponsored by The Leicester Mercury's 'Woody Tree' campaign and by The Royal Mail through employee contributions, as well as donations from other local businesses.

It was planted on the site of the former Coleorton Colliery (known locally as the 'Bug & Wink' Colliery), which produced coal from 1875 until 1933. The site was returned to agricultural use after demolition in 1975 and the two mine shafts capped and sealed. As a result, prior to planting, the majority of the site was fertilised and ripped to alleviate compaction and to promote root penetration of the layer of demolition rubble and colliery spoil below the thin topsoil. The only exception to this was an area named as Post Office Wood, which was planted on agricultural soils, in a field to the west of the brook course.

Ownership was transferred to Coleorton Parish Council in January 2012 and has been managed mainly by the Coleorton & new Lount Volunteer group.