Carved Owls and a New Pond: Woodland Walk’s Revamp Takes Root in Boscombe

One of Boscombe's least-known green spaces has quietly become one of its most charming. Woodland Walk Nature Reserve, the ribbon of trees threading through the streets east of the town centre, has emerged from a refurbishment funded through the Towns Fund and local infrastructure contributions, and the results reward a slow wander.

The headline additions are practical: a new wildlife pond and a sensory garden, designed to bring more species and more visitors into the reserve. But the crowd-pleasers are carved from the woodland itself.

The carving trail

Chainsaw sculptor Tom Harvey, who works as Carver Harvey, has cut a family of creatures into the reserve's timber. The centrepiece is a Tree of Life with a tawny owl worked into its trunk, joined by a woodpecker, a wood mouse, a carved welcome marker and benches shaped from felled trunks. The pieces double as a natural treasure hunt for children, and finding all of them makes a neat free morning out.

The trail joins a growing collection of public art on this side of town, from the seafront sculpture trail to the murals of the town centre.

Visiting

The reserve is free and always open, with level paths that suit families. Our Woodland Walk guide covers the reserve itself, the Tree of Life page has the story of the main carving, and the wider Boscombe guide rounds up the beach, the pier and the best coffee nearby.