Whitwell is famous for its wood, which is said to be the largest in Europe. It is arguably the finest woodland in North East Derbyshire, Whitwell Wood covers an area of approximately 420 acres atop a magnesium limestone outcrop.

The place for a peaceful walk in the company of wildlife. Whitwell has something for every season. There are carpets of bluebells in spring, butterflies in summer and flocks of feeding birds in winter.

Predominantly a broad leafed woodland containing Alder, Ash, Oak, Beech, Hazel and Sycamore to name but a few of the common species, and also some sections of Scots and Corsican Pine.

The wood is managed by the Forestry Commission with input from Whitwell Wood Natural History Group for wildlife, timber & public recreation.

There are long, wide drives cut through the wood, several coppice areas and two small nature ponds within the wood and several more around the periphery. The wood also has numerous sights of archeological interest and a limestone gorge to the rear of the wood where you may stumble across the locally famous Ginny Spring.

Ginny Spring is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Ginny Spring is a small flush on the Magnesian Limestone. It has a very rich flora including species such as marsh helleborine Epipactis palustris, green helleborine Epipactis phyllanthes and broad-leaved cotton-grass Eriophorum latifolium which are rare in the north midlands and for which this is the only known site in Derbyshire. Other plants present which are also rare in Derbyshire include common butterwort Pinguicula vulgaris, bog pimpernel Anagallis tenella, columbine Aquilegia vulgaris, fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea, few-flowered spikerush Eleocharis quinqueflora and bird’s nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis.