Great Merrible Wood is a 12 hectare nature reserve east of

Hallaton Hallaton is a village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 523, which had increased to 594 at the 2011 census. History and description The village' ...

in Leicestershire. It is owned and managed by the

Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust The Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT) is one of 46 wildlife trusts across the United Kingdom. It manages nature reserves in Leicestershire and Rutland, and was founded in 1956 as the Leicestershire and Rutland Trust for Nature Con ...

, and is part of the

Eye Brook Valley Woods Eye Brook Valley Woods is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Hallaton in Leicestershire. It is in three separate areas, Great Merrible Wood, which is managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, Bolt Wood and ...

Site of Special Scientific Interest. This is a surviving fragment of the medieval Leighfield Forest. It is semi-natural ancient woodland with several unusual herbs, such as

broadleaved helleborine ''Epipactis helleborine'', the broad-leaved helleborine, is a terrestrial species of orchid with a broad distribution. It is a long lived herb which varies morphologically with ability to self-pollinate. Description ''Epipactis helleborine'' can ...

, herb paris and

violet helleborine ''Epipactis purpurata'', the violet helleborine, is an orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the ...

. It is claimed to have the most diverse range of fungi in the county. There is access by a footpath from Stockerston Lane.

References

{{Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust