Forest bathing at Wren’s Nest

Wren's Nest is a National Nature Reserve in Dudley, a hill of limestone that was once a tropical sea and coral reef, more than 400 million years ago. More than 700 types of fossil have been found here, 86 of them nowhere else on Earth. Ash, beech and sycamore woods, some planted over the last two hundred years, cover the hill, with ferns and mosses on the woodland floor, and the old limestone mines and rock faces show through the trees.

The car park is on Wrens Hill Road. The lower path to the Coral Reef and the Ripple Beds is flat, and the Highlights Walk suits mobility scooters and wheelchairs with some support, while the path up to the Seven Sisters Mine viewing area is steep. The older woods on the southern hill are a good place to stop. There are no toilets or visitor centre, but the reserve is open around the clock and wardens run guided walks.