We've added some extra pointers for visitors. Broadwater Warren is a large, sprawling reserve with a river valley that snakes around several bends. Sometimes it's difficult to know where you are, or even which direction you're heading. Various visitors to Broadwater Warren have reported problems finding their way back to their car. Our visitor survey last summer also revealed that many people wanted more signs and guidance around the reserve. An almost equal number asked for less signs, so we're in a tricky position.
Rather than installing formal signs, we've repositioned some big, cut, tree trunks (cut by a previous woodland owner), and we've added arrows to guide visitors towards our car park.
I'm not sure how these new markers will be received. We'll encourage the vegetation to grow up around them to make them look a little more well-situated within their surroundings.
I hope these new markers and arrows will be useful.
As the nature reserve develops we hope that different areas will develop their own character and feel (rather than the endless paths through conifer and birch which we inherited). This will make it easier to know where you are and how to get back. Different plants and wildlife will also develop in different areas, so there will be different sounds and colours. It will all take time, and I hope these temporary markers will provide a useful stop-gap and encourage more people to explore wider.