← Back ✦ Historic site
Simonside Cairn 670m west-north-west of Old Stell Crag ✦ Ancient woodland 0 ha
Plan your visit
🦅 Birds🦉 Wildlife✦ Heritage
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 0 ha
Getting here
55.28253, -1.96362
Open directionsv
Best for 7 activities 🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Free Birds — Wren, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon +86 more · last seen 2025; Lowland heathland — Dartford warblers, nightjars and stonechats
Birds — Wren, Chaffinch, Woodpigeon +86 more · last seen 2025; Lowland heathland priority habitat
Historic site with public access
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Free Lowland heathland — silver-studded blue and heath fritillary butterflies; Insects — Green Tiger Beetle, Red-tailed Bumblebee, Bilberry Bumblebee +60 more · last seen 2025
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Free Plants — Pirri-pirri-bur, Chickweed Wintergreen, Wood-sorrel +23 more · last seen 2025
Dogs allowed with public access
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 1 signed route nearby · 8 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
Greenleighton Moor Walk, Wallington Walking route 9.6 km ▾ Follow the route through Greenleighton Farm, traditional hill farm, and then along the edge of the Fontburn Reservoir, owned & managed by Northumbrian Water, before returning across the moor to the SSSI designated Greenleighton quarry.
Named route Length 9.6 km Duration 02:00-03:00 Round trip Local walking route
Show on map About this historic site Scheduled Monument
Photos
21 photos from nearby open sources
▾ The summit cairn of Simonside
‹ › Photos The summit cairn of Simonside
‹ › Visiting this spring
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🌸 Ancient woodlands are famous for bluebell carpets in April and May — one of Britain's most spectacular wildflower displays 🐦 Prime nesting season — listen for woodpecker drumming, warbler song and the first cuckoos from April 🦌 Roe deer are active before the leaf canopy closes in — dawn and dusk are best 🌱 Visiting this spring
🌸 Ancient woodlands are famous for bluebell carpets in April and May — one of Britain's most spectacular wildflower displays 🐦 Prime nesting season — listen for woodpecker drumming, warbler song and the first cuckoos from April 🦌 Roe deer are active before the leaf canopy closes in — dawn and dusk are best ✦ Ancient ✓ Public access Free entry 🐶 Dogs
Good to know £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🌿 Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
All Historic
UK green spaces mapped from open public data — so anyone can find the woodland, trail, or nature reserve closest to them.
© 2026 Glade · Made with care for UK green spaces
2021
2021
Badger Meles meles2020
Badger Meles meles2020
Eristalis pertinax Eristalis pertinax
Eristalis pertinax Eristalis pertinax
Leucozona lucorum Leucozona lucorum
Leucozona lucorum Leucozona lucorum
Volucella pellucens Volucella pellucens
Volucella pellucens Volucella pellucens
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus
Carabus nitens Carabus nitens
Carabus nitens Carabus nitens
Common Green Grasshopper Omocestus viridulus2023
Common Green Grasshopper Omocestus viridulus2023
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum2022
Common Carder Bee Bombus pascuorum2022
Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula2021
Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula2021
Twin-spot Carpet Mesotype didymata2019
Twin-spot Carpet Mesotype didymata2019
Mottled Grasshopper Myrmeleotettix maculatus
Mottled Grasshopper Myrmeleotettix maculatus
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum
Broad Centurion Chloromyia formosa
Broad Centurion Chloromyia formosa
Eristalis tenax Eristalis tenax
Eristalis tenax Eristalis tenax
Xylota segnis Xylota segnis
Xylota segnis Xylota segnis
Syrphus Syrphus
Syrphus Syrphus
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria selene
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria selene
Birch Clubhorn Cimbex femoratus
Birch Clubhorn Cimbex femoratus
Eyed Ladybird Anatis ocellata2023
Eyed Ladybird Anatis ocellata2023
Carabus glabratus Carabus glabratus2023
Carabus glabratus Carabus glabratus2023
Green Dock Beetle Gastrophysa viridula2023
Green Dock Beetle Gastrophysa viridula2023
Rhagium bifasciatum Rhagium bifasciatum2023
Rhagium bifasciatum Rhagium bifasciatum2023
Gorse Shieldbug Piezodorus lituratus2023
Gorse Shieldbug Piezodorus lituratus2023
Cercopis vulnerata Cercopis vulnerata2023
Cercopis vulnerata Cercopis vulnerata2023
Tachina grossa Tachina grossa2022
Tachina grossa Tachina grossa2022
Volucella bombylans subsp. plumata Volucella bombylans subsp. plumata2022
Volucella bombylans subsp. plumata Volucella bombylans subsp. plumata2022
Cicadella viridis Cicadella viridis2022
Cicadella viridis Cicadella viridis2022
Sicus ferrugineus Sicus ferrugineus2022
Sicus ferrugineus Sicus ferrugineus2022
Field Cuckoo Bee Bombus campestris2020
Field Cuckoo Bee Bombus campestris2020
Bombus lucorum Bombus lucorum2020
Bombus lucorum Bombus lucorum2020
Spiked Shieldbug Picromerus bidens2020
Spiked Shieldbug Picromerus bidens2020
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris2020
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris2020
White-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lucorum2020
White-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lucorum2020
Common Leaf Weevil Phyllobius pyri2020
Common Leaf Weevil Phyllobius pyri2020
Cantharis nigricans Cantharis nigricans2020
Cantharis nigricans Cantharis nigricans2020
Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica2019
Ingrailed Clay Diarsia mendica2019
Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura2019
Smoky Wainscot Mythimna impura2019
Common Footman Eilema lurideola2019
Common Footman Eilema lurideola2019
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua janthe2019
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua janthe2019
Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria2019
Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria2019
Buff Footman Eilema depressa2019
Buff Footman Eilema depressa2019
Ear Moth agg. Amphipoea oculea agg.2019
Ear Moth agg. Amphipoea oculea agg.2019
Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria2019
Scalloped Oak Crocallis elinguaria2019
Drinker Euthrix potatoria2019
Drinker Euthrix potatoria2019
Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha2019
Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha2019
Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata2019
Small Fan-footed Wave Idaea biselata2019
Lesser Yellow Underwing Noctua comes2019
Lesser Yellow Underwing Noctua comes2019
True Lover's Knot Lycophotia porphyrea2019
True Lover's Knot Lycophotia porphyrea2019
Antler Moth Cerapteryx graminis2019
Antler Moth Cerapteryx graminis2019
Dark Spinach Pelurga comitata2019
Dark Spinach Pelurga comitata2019
Heath Rustic Xestia agathina2019
Heath Rustic Xestia agathina2019
Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba2019
Large Yellow Underwing Noctua pronuba2019
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua fimbriata2019
Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing Noctua fimbriata2019
Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa2019
Square-spot Rustic Xestia xanthographa2019
July Highflyer Hydriomena furcata2019
July Highflyer Hydriomena furcata2019
Vapourer Orgyia antiqua2019
Vapourer Orgyia antiqua2019
Gold Spot Plusia festucae2019
Gold Spot Plusia festucae2019 Cross-leaved Heath
Cross-leaved Heath
Erica tetralix2023
Erica tetralix2023
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea2024
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea2024
Common Cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium2024
Common Cottongrass Eriophorum angustifolium2024
Shallon Gaultheria shallon2023
Shallon Gaultheria shallon2023
Climbing Corydalis Ceratocapnos claviculata2022
Climbing Corydalis Ceratocapnos claviculata2022
Autumn Gentian Gentianella amarella2020
Autumn Gentian Gentianella amarella2020
Heath Speedwell Veronica officinalis
Heath Speedwell Veronica officinalis
Deergrass Trichophorum cespitosum
Deergrass Trichophorum cespitosum
Devil's-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis2024
Devil's-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis2024
Small Restharrow Ononis reclinata2024
Small Restharrow Ononis reclinata2024
Red Clover Trifolium pratense2024
Red Clover Trifolium pratense2024
Creeping Willow Salix repens2023
Creeping Willow Salix repens2023
Tormentil Potentilla erecta2023
Tormentil Potentilla erecta2023
Bog Groove-moss Aulacomnium palustre2023
Bog Groove-moss Aulacomnium palustre2023
Cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos2023
Cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccos2023
Northern Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza purpurella2023
Northern Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza purpurella2023
Lousewort Pedicularis sylvatica2022
Lousewort Pedicularis sylvatica2022
Cloudberry Rubus chamaemorus2022
Cloudberry Rubus chamaemorus2022
Common Cow-wheat Melampyrum pratense2022
Common Cow-wheat Melampyrum pratense2022
Heath Rush Juncus squarrosus2022
Heath Rush Juncus squarrosus2022
Crowberry agg. Empetrum nigrum2020
Crowberry agg. Empetrum nigrum2020 Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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