A track through the trees in Cowleaze Wood, Oxfordshire

Where to go · Oxfordshire

Forest bathing at Cowleaze Wood

Chiltern woodland near Christmas Common with grassy picnic glades, bluebells in May and views across the valley.

Cowleaze Wood is a Forestry England woodland high in the Chiltern Hills, west of High Wycombe between Stokenchurch and Christmas Common. It has a good mix of habitats, plenty of paths and grassy picnic areas, and from the far end of the wood there are fine views across the valley. Within the wood is a memorial to the crew of a Halifax bomber that crashed here in March 1944, a quiet place to pause.

The car park has a height barrier, and there is an easy access trail, so it is a good option if you want a gentle, short walk. The grassy picnic areas are the obvious place to sit; the paths further in, towards the views at the far end, are quieter. Bluebells flower in May. It is open around the clock all year, and Forestry England members park free.

Practical

Managed by
Forestry England
Parking
Pay car park (card, RingGo or post-pay); Forestry England members free; height barrier 6ft 6in (198 cm); no designated accessible spaces
Terrain
Woodland paths and grassy glades; easy access trail
Facilities
Picnic area; no toilets listed
Opening and entry
Free entry; open 24 hours, all year; parking charge
Official page
forestryengland.uk

Last updated 4 November 2026. Paths, parking and access can change, so check before you visit. Spotted something out of date? Please let us know.

Guides who run sessions here

No guides listed at Cowleaze Wood yet

See forest bathing guides in Oxfordshire, who may run sessions nearby. If you guide here, list your practice for free and add Cowleaze Wood to your venues.

More woodlands in Oxfordshire

All venues in Oxfordshire
A grassy forest ride between the trees in Bernwood Forest, OxfordshireBernwood ForestOld royal hunting forest east of Oxford, known for around forty butterfly speciesA path between trees in Harcourt Arboretum, Nuneham Courtenay, Oxfordshire, in summerHarcourt ArboretumArboretum, native woodland and meadow south of Oxford, with autumn colour in the Acer GladeBluebells beneath trees in Shotover Country Park, OxfordShotover Country ParkAncient woodland and hilltop grassland on Oxford's eastern edge, with wide views

Photos: Bernwood Forest, Steve Daniels (CC BY-SA 2.0); Harcourt Arboretum, Zephyris (CC BY-SA 3.0); Shotover Country Park, Steve Daniels (CC BY-SA 2.0).