Le Saie Woodland

This remote but superbly located wooded côtil was purchased in 1938, and is one of the National Trust for Jersey’s earliest acquisitions. The site is best visited in spring, when most of the wild flowers are in bloom, but superb sea views over to the French coast are available at any time of year.

The site, which overlooks Le Havre du Scez, (also known as Saie Harbour), is one of Jersey’s few coastal woodlands; the woodland appears to be largely natural in origin, and although its age is unknown, it does contain some large trees and plants typical of old woods. The site is north facing and very exposed, which has resulted in many of the trees being sculpted into wonderfully crooked shapes.

Flora and Fauna

The woodland consists mainly of Oak (Quercus robur), with abundant Wild Cherry (Prunus avium). Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) is abundant in some areas, and there is also some Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Elder (Sambucus nigra). The ground flora includes Wild Daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus), Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella), Greater Stichwort (Stellaria nemorum) and, unusually for Jersey, Dog’s Mercury (Mercurialis perennis). Many of the larger trees are encrusted with lichens, mosses and ferns, which thrive in the clean, moist air.

The woodland’s insect fauna has not been investigated in detail, although butterflies, including the Speckled Wood, are numerous on sunny days. The resident bird life is not as rich as at some of the Trust’s other woodlands, perhaps because of the site’s very exposed location, but by way of compensation a variety of wading birds can be observed feeding on the seashore adjacent to the woodland.

Site Management

A long-term programme to gradually reduce the amount of sycamore in the woodland and encourage more oak and wild cherry is continuing. This is being achieved largely through natural regeneration, although some oaks and cherries were planted in the 1980’s and these are now well established.

Some of the larger sycamores, especially those facing the sea, support a good lichen flora and also provide shelter for the rest of the woodland, hence these will be retained. Dead wood (and, where it is safe to do so, dead standing trees also), are retained on site to provide valuable wildlife habitat.

Visitor Access and Facilities

The site is accessed via La Rue du Scez, and visitors arriving by car should drive to the small car park at the end of this road and walk back uphill. It is requested not to park in the passing place adjacent to the site. The site can be accessed by Bus Route 3, the closest stop being Rozel Camp site.

Beside the passing place is a grassy area with a National Trust sign, and a footpath leading into the woodland; this path stops short of the site’s eastern boundary, so visitors must retrace their steps. Visitors should also take care when using the footpath, as it is uneven in places and there is a steep drop on the seaward side. The landward side of the path is also very steep, and almost impenetrable owing to the amount of bramble and bracken growth present.

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