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Sharpenhoe Clappers: an Iron Age promontory fort, medieval warren and associated medieval cultivation earthworks

4 ha

📷 Shaun Ferguson · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsAncientWildlife

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome4 ha

Getting here

51.96036, -0.44951

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

▾

🐦64+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Goldfinch and Woodpigeon
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦64+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Goldfinch and Woodpigeon
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Best for

13 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Free

Birds — Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Blackbird +61 more · last seen 2026; Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds

Ancient woodland

Strong match

Free

Ancient woodland — continuous woodland since before 1600

Wildlife

Strong match

Free

Birds — Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Blackbird +61 more · last seen 2026; Deciduous woodland priority habitat

Heritage

Strong match

Free

Historic site with public access

Insect spotting

Strong match

Free

Chalk and limestone grassland — chalkhill blue, adonis blue and rare moths; Insects — Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Chalk Hill Blue +68 more · last seen 2025

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Free

Plants — Pyramidal Orchid, Traveller's-joy, Snowdrop +75 more · last seen 2026; Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

▾

9 signed routes nearby · 9 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

The Chiltern WayWalking route275 km▾

A waymarked long-distance footpath in southern England

Named routeRef CWLength 275 kmRegional walking route

John Bunyan TrailWalking route▾

Named routeRegional walking route

Katherine’s WalkWalking route13.6 km▾

Named routeLength 13.6 kmRound tripLocal walking route

Icknield Way PathWalking route169 km▾

long distance footpath 169 km

Named routeLength 169 kmRegional walking route

Former Chiltern WayWalking route▾

Former route of Chiltern Way, removed in March 2023. Left in mapping for information, especially if people are using old guidebooks

Named routeRef CWexLocal walking route

Icknield Waypublic footpath · 473 m▾

Public pathpublic footpathLength 473 mSurface groundPath type: footway

🚴

Cycling

▾

8 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Chilterns CyclewayCycling route▾

Named routeRound tripRegional cycle route

Ride on the wild sideCycling route▾

Named routeLocal cycle route

N/ACycling route25 m▾

Named routeLength 25 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface blocks

N/ACycling route128 m▾

Named routeLength 128 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface pavementslabs

N/ACycling route43 m▾

Named routeLength 43 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface blocks

N/ACycling route16 m▾

Named routeLength 16 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface blocks

🚵

Mountain biking

▾

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Icknield Way Cycle TrailMountain bike route226 km▾

This is the off-road or mountain cycling route of the Icknield Way Trail.

Named routeLength 226 kmRegional cycle route

🐴

Horse riding

▾

3 public paths nearby

Public paths

JBT segmentbridleway · 164 m▾

Public pathbridlewayLength 164 mSurface asphaltPath type: service

JBT segmentbridleway · 157 m▾

Public pathbridlewayLength 157 mSurface asphaltPath type: service

Wildlife to spot

36,318 records from NBN Atlas

▾

Wildlife to spot

36,318 records · NBN Atlas

🐦

Birds64 species

winterautumn

2026

Goldfinch · Woodpigeon · Blackbird · Jackdaw · Black-headed Gull

+59 more species

All 64 birds recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Great TitParus major2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
SwiftApus apus2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2024
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca curruca2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2024
Herring GullLarus argentatus2024
BramblingFringilla montifringilla2024
Tree PipitAnthus trivialis2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2024
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2024
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2024
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2024

🦎

Reptiles1 species

autumn

2025

Common Lizard

🐝

Insects71 species

summerautumn

2025

Meadow Brown · Gatekeeper · Chalk Hill Blue · Common Blue · Speckled Wood

+66 more species

All 71 insects recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Meadow BrownManiola jurtina2024
GatekeeperPyronia tithonus2024
Chalk Hill BluePolyommatus coridon2024
Common BluePolyommatus icarus2024
Speckled WoodPararge aegeria

🌿

Plants78 species

summerautumn

2026

Pyramidal Orchid · Traveller's-joy · Snowdrop · Autumn Gentian · Hawthorn

+73 more species

All 78 plants recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Pyramidal OrchidAnacamptis pyramidalis2025
Traveller's-joyClematis vitalba2025
SnowdropGalanthus nivalis
Autumn GentianGentianella amarella2025
HawthornCrataegus monogyna

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

36,318 records · NBN Atlas

🐦

Birds64 species

winterautumn

2026

Goldfinch · Woodpigeon · Blackbird · Jackdaw · Black-headed Gull

+59 more species

All 64 birds recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Great TitParus major2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
SwiftApus apus2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2024
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca curruca2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2024
Herring GullLarus argentatus2024
BramblingFringilla montifringilla2024
Tree PipitAnthus trivialis2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2024
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2024
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2024
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2024

🦎

Reptiles1 species

autumn

2025

Common Lizard

🐝

Insects71 species

summerautumn

2025

Meadow Brown · Gatekeeper · Chalk Hill Blue · Common Blue · Speckled Wood

+66 more species

All 71 insects recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Meadow BrownManiola jurtina2024
GatekeeperPyronia tithonus2024
Chalk Hill BluePolyommatus coridon2024
Common BluePolyommatus icarus2024
Speckled WoodPararge aegeria

🌿

Plants78 species

summerautumn

2026

Pyramidal Orchid · Traveller's-joy · Snowdrop · Autumn Gentian · Hawthorn

+73 more species

All 78 plants recorded nearby (NBN Atlas)

Pyramidal OrchidAnacamptis pyramidalis2025
Traveller's-joyClematis vitalba2025
SnowdropGalanthus nivalis
Autumn GentianGentianella amarella2025
HawthornCrataegus monogyna

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

21 photos from nearby open sources

▾

📷 Shaun Ferguson · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Sharpenhoe Clappers

1 / 21

Photos

📷 Shaun Ferguson · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Sharpenhoe Clappers

1 / 21

Facilities

🅿️

Parking

1 nearby · 382m

✓ Public accessFree entry🐶 Dogs

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Weather for this location

Next 14 days

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Bramingham ParkUrban park4 km→🌱Silsoe Nature Reserve & ParkUrban park4.9 km→🦉GALLEY AND WARDEN HILLS SSSINature reserve4.7 km→✦Sharpenhoe ClappersHistoric site0 m→🏞️SUNDON HILLSCountry park1.9 km→🌱GreenUrban park3.8 km→

Sharpenhoe Clappers: an Iron Age promontory fort, medieval warren and associated medieval cultivation earthworks

Best for

Trails nearby

Wildlife to spot

Wildlife to spot

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Facilities

Good to know

Weather for this location

Nearby places

Wildlife to spot

Wildlife to spot

Events & activities nearby