Riverside Wood

Riverside Wood’ is the informal name for an area of woodland located along the River Sid. Specifically, the riverside area alongside Margaret's Meadow and Gilchrist Field in The Byes is described as a notable broadleaf woodland.  Unlike most other woodland sites surveyed around Sidmouth, which are situated on higher ground, Riverside Wood falls into the lower ground location.It is a more natural woodland than the others included in the survey. It is unique among at least the twelve surveyed woodland sites in that it appears to be absent of introduced conifer plantation species. This sets it apart from many other local woods like Harpford Wood, Fire Beacon Plantation, Bulverton Hill Plantation, and Core Hill Wood, which contain significant conifer elements.As a broadleaf woodland area, particularly the part near Margaret's Meadow and Gilchrist Field, it is considered among the most interesting locally. It supports a variety of plant species including Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis), Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis), Stinking Iris (Iris foetidissima), Ramsons or Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum), Pink Purslane (Claytonia sibirica), Wood Dock (Rumex sanguineus), Wood Speedwell (Veronica montana), and some Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta).Yellow pimpernel (Lysimachia nemorum) has been recorded in Riverside Wood, although the colony is noted as being very small, no greater than a couple of square metres. Dog's mercury has also been recorded in Riverside Wood; however, its presence, along with that in Harcombe Lane and Milltown Lane (which are tree-lined lanes rather than strict woodlands), seems to indicate where woodland once stood rather than the nature of the woodland seen today.Its location on lower ground and the absence of introduced conifer plantation species make it distinct and potentially more natural compared to other surveyed woodlands around Sidmouth. "