The next phase of the restoration of the woodland walks at Ashley Combe started with a fabulous, hard day of planting and clearing.
Through painstaking research by Exmoor National Park and Bristol University, the specific tree species brought in by Ada Lovelace and her husband, William King, in the 1840s to form the first arboretum in the South west of England were identified and sourced. The first of these – Coastal Redwoods and Maritime Pine – were planted this week by Ada in Porlock volunteers led by Exmoor National Park’s Forestry Senior Woodlands Officer, Graeme McVittie.
Planting the next generation of Coastal Redwood to join its 180 year old ancestor
The work forms part of the plan to restore the area next to Ada Lovelace’s summer home at Ashley Combe, where she built a network of paths and viewpoints and planted a range of species to enhance the natural environment, helping her “make me a discoverer of the hidden realities of nature”.
The work will continue with a series of work parties in 2026, where we are looking for volunteers to enjoy time in this wondrous environment, helping to restore the inspiration of the World’s first computer programmer and friend to Charles Babbage, Michael Faraday, and Charles Darwin, Ada Lovelace.
Planting redwoods and maritime pines in steep, rocky ground
The next work party will be at 10:00 on Saturday, April 25th where there will be opportunities to clear invasive species, uncover more of the “Philosopher’s Walk”, rebuild the dry-stone walling with guidance form our local experts and help rebuild a legacy for a further 200 years of people’s enjoyment as they pass through on the South west Coast Path.
Our thanks to DEFRA’s Farming in a Protected Landscape (FIPL) programme and Exmoor National Park for their support to the project.