LOCATION

Description
Scholes Coppice and Bray Plantation are located on the edge of Rotherham, 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) north-west of the town centre. They are situated between the residential area of Kimberworth Park and the small village of Scholes, which in turn lies close to the larger settlement of Thorpe Hesley.

Although the two woodlands are only a short distance apart, between them lies Keppel's Field, an unimproved meadow rich in wildflowers which together with the woods forms a Local Nature Reserve.

On the other side of the A629 road from Scholes Coppice and Bray Plantation lies Grange Park, which incorporates a number of other Heritage Woodlands, including Walkworth Wood, Gallery Bottom, and Barber Wood.

One of the entrances into Scholes Coppice which leads from the bottom part of Keppel's Field.

Grid reference
The grid references of the two woodlands are:

• Scholes Coppice SK394953
• Bray Plantation SK392944

The adjacent wildflower-rich grassland of Keppel's Field lies at grid reference SK391950.

VISITING BY CAR

Parking
Parking can be found on a number of different roads around the woodlands. Please refer to the access map below.

Both Scholes Coppice and Bray Plantation can be easily reached from a part of the Kimberworth Park housing estate which borders the site. Here parking can be found on roads including Studmoor Road (the nearest to Bray Plantation) and Beckett Crescent and the cul-de-sacs of The Coppice, The Willows and Pepper Close, all of which give easy access to the southern edge of Scholes Coppice. As these are all residential roads, parking is limited and consideration should always be given to local residents. In particular, care should be taken not to park across residents' private drives.

For access to the north-western corner of Scholes Coppice, a small amount of parking can be found on Scholes Lane. This is a relatively narrow rural road and care should be taken not to block it in any way.

Finally, the residential road of Admirals Crest gives access to Scholes Coppice across Keppel's Field. Again, consideration must be given to local residents.

Parking on Upper Wortley Road (A629) and on Oaks Lane leading into the Kimberworth Park estate is not recommended as both are busy through roads.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Buses
The Scholes Coppice area is well served by buses from which leave Rotherham Transport Interchange in the centre of the town.

Buses up the A629 Upper Wortley Road include the number 16, which runs every half an hour to Thorpe Hesley, and the number 66, which runs to Chapeltown, also every half hour. In addition the express bus number X12 runs once every hour.

Also very convenient for access to the woodlands is the number 8, which runs every 20 minutes to Beckett Crescent (very close to the southern edge of Scholes Coppice), via Oaks Lane.

All bus routes and times are of course subject to change and so you are advised to contact Traveline on 01709 515151 to confirm these details.

ACCESS TO THE WOOD
Please refer to the access map below.

Access Points

Scholes Coppice
The main access points to Scholes Coppice are:

• From the south
  Into the southern edge of the wood from roads in the Kimberworth Park estate, including Town Lane Beckett Crescent, Pepper Close, The Willows, Studmoor Road and Monk's Close.
  
  
• From the west
  Along paths leading from Admiral's View across Keppel's Field into the south-west and north-west corners of the wood.
  
  
• From the north
  Into the north-western corner of the wood along a narrow path leading off Scholes Lane in Scholes village, and into the north-eastern corner of the wood from Cinder Hills and the Wentworth estate.
  
  
• From the east
  Into the north-eastern corner of the wood via a path leading across farmland.

Bray Plantation
The main access points to Bray Plantation are from Oaks Lane into the eastern corner of the wood and from Upper Wortley Road into its western corner.

Scholes Coppice and Bray Plantation are both very accessible, being crossed by a number of wide, relatively level paths.

Paths

Scholes Coppice
Scholes Coppice is well served by footpaths and bridleways, these being shown on the access map above.

A surfaced bridleway runs in a circular route around much of the woodland and there is also good access along the concrete track running along the eastern edge of the woodland.

A large number of other footpaths are also present. Because these are unsurfaced, they can be soft and muddy in wet weather.

Bray Plantation
The main path through Bray Plantation runs in an approximately straight line between the eastern and western corners of the wood. This is part of the Trans-Pennine Trail, a network of footpaths across the country between Liverpool and Hull. Another path runs up the north-eastern edge of the wood and continues from here, between two areas of housing and across an area of grassland, to reach the southern edge of Scholes Coppice.

Wheelchair Access

Scholes Coppice
Although much of Scholes Coppice is not currently suitable for people in wheelchairs, entry to the southern edge of the woodland can be gained through a new wheelchair access at the entrance point off Studmoor Road. There is another disabled access stile at the end of The Willows, but unlike that off Studmoor Road this does not have a lowered pavement kerb and the ground here is also less firm and dry.

The concrete track running along the eastern edge of the woodland provides limited wheelchair access.

Bray Plantation
The main track through Bray Plantation is wide and flat and also part of the Trans-Pennine Trail which has been specifically designed for use by a wide variety of people, including wheelchair users.

TOILET FACILITIES
There are no toilets at the site, the nearest such facilities being at the Hook, Line & Sinker public house on Oaks Lane/Town Lane.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Scholes Coppice & Bray Plantation are both owned and managed by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.

For further information, see Get in Touch elsewhere on this website.