The site comprises a dry valley with woodland on both flanks and some areas of chalk grassland, bracken and scrub.
The woodland canopy is formed by scattered large trees, ash, pedunculate oak, and silver birch.
The understorey, which has been coppiced in the past, consists of hazel, field maple and hawthorn, with wayfaring tree and elder near the woodland edge.
The ground cover is typical of ancient woodland and includes wild garlic, dog's mercury and bluebell, with yellow archangel and moschatel in places.
On the upper part of the east slope is an area of flinty gravel; here there is no wild garlic, but a profusion of bluebells and red campion, and a patch of bracken.