This is ancient woodland and has a canopy comprising mainly ash (including coppiced stools), pedunculate oak and field maple, and some crab apple and holly.

The damp valley bottom below Saddlewood Roughs supports butterbur in the spring and meadow saffron in the autumn.

The rough banks in the north of the reserve have a typical limestone grassland flora including wild thyme, common rock-rose and early-purple orchid.

There are good populations of butterflies including chalkhill blue, marbled white, green hairstreak and the Duke of Burgundy fritillary.

Conservation work in the reserve includes coppicing of hazel, thinning of young ash, and clearing of invasive scrub such as hawthorn, blackthorn and oak in areas designated as open grassland.

The guided walk included a demonstration of the production of barbecue charcoal from coppiced and fallen timber, a new Wildlife Trust venture at that time.