Ash Beds ✦ Ancient woodland 6 ha
Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🍂 Seasonal
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 6 ha
Places › England › South East › Milton Keynes Getting here
52.16797, -0.74634
Open directionsv Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 📍 Open access throughout summer — no booking required 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 📍 Open access throughout summer — no booking required £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🌿 Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Robin +63 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Robin +63 more · last seen 2025
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Cuckooflower · last seen 2023
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Azure Damselfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Large Red Damselfly +50 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Azure Damselfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Large Red Damselfly +50 more · last seen 2025
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 7 signed routes nearby · 2 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
Midshires Way Walking route 370 km ▾
Multi-use trail links the Ridgeway National Trail with the Trans Pennine Trail
Named route Length 370 km Regional walking route
Show on map Northamptonshire Round Walking route ▾
Milton Keynes Boundary Walk Walking route ▾
Named route Round trip Regional walking route
Show on map Three Shires Way Walking route 79 km ▾
49 mile route liking the Swan's Way to the Grafham Water circular walk, which it now incorporates, made up largely of bridleways.
Named route Length 79 km Regional walking route
Show on map Hanslope Circular Ride Walking route ▾
Named route Regional walking route
Show on map ✦ Ancient woodland — continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD. A rare and irreplaceable habitat, rich in biodiversity and historical character.
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
All Historic
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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
Wildlife to spot
4,846 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 4,846 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 47 species
winter spring autumn
2025 ▾
Woodpigeon · Chaffinch · Robin · Blackbird · Blue Tit +42
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Robin Erithacus rubecula Blackbird Turdus merula Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Fieldfare Turdus pilaris Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Carrion Crow Corvus corone Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Great Tit Parus major Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Skylark Alauda arvensis Jay Garrulus glandarius Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Linnet Linaria cannabina Dunnock Prunella modularis Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Stock Dove Columba oenas Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Magpie Pica pica Redwing Turdus iliacus Starling Sturnus vulgaris Goldcrest Regulus regulus Grey Partridge Perdix perdix Herring Gull Larus argentatus Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Snipe Gallinago gallinago Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus Moorhen Gallinula chloropus2024 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Cuckoo Cuculus canorus Whitethroat Curruca communis Rook Corvus frugilegus Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2024 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2024 Raven Corvus corax2024 Barn Owl Tyto alba2024 Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus2024 Grey Squirrel
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis 🐝 Insects 19 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Helophilus pendulus · Sphaerophoria scripta · Iridescent Centurion · Empis livida · Marmalade Hoverfly +14
Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus Sphaerophoria scripta Sphaerophoria scripta Iridescent Centurion Sargus iridatus Empis livida Empis livida Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus Twin-lobed Deerfly Chrysops relictus Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 4,846 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 47 species
winter spring autumn
2025 ▾
Woodpigeon · Chaffinch · Robin · Blackbird · Blue Tit +42
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Robin Erithacus rubecula Blackbird Turdus merula Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Fieldfare Turdus pilaris Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Carrion Crow Corvus corone Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Great Tit Parus major Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Skylark Alauda arvensis Jay Garrulus glandarius Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Linnet Linaria cannabina Dunnock Prunella modularis Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Stock Dove Columba oenas Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Magpie Pica pica Redwing Turdus iliacus Starling Sturnus vulgaris Goldcrest Regulus regulus Grey Partridge Perdix perdix Herring Gull Larus argentatus Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Snipe Gallinago gallinago Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus Moorhen Gallinula chloropus2024 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Cuckoo Cuculus canorus Whitethroat Curruca communis Rook Corvus frugilegus Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2024 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2024 Raven Corvus corax2024 Barn Owl Tyto alba2024 Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus2024 Grey Squirrel
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis 🐝 Insects 19 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Helophilus pendulus · Sphaerophoria scripta · Iridescent Centurion · Empis livida · Marmalade Hoverfly +14
Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus Sphaerophoria scripta Sphaerophoria scripta Iridescent Centurion Sargus iridatus Empis livida Empis livida Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus Twin-lobed Deerfly Chrysops relictus Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Eupeodes corollae Eupeodes corollae
Eupeodes corollae Eupeodes corollae
Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis
Notch-horned Cleg Haematopota pluvialis
Volucella bombylans Volucella bombylans
Volucella bombylans Volucella bombylans
Xylota sylvarum Xylota sylvarum
Xylota sylvarum Xylota sylvarum
Hairy-legged Horsefly Hybomitra bimaculata
Hairy-legged Horsefly Hybomitra bimaculata
Xylota segnis Xylota segnis
Xylota segnis Xylota segnis
Eristalis pertinax Eristalis pertinax
Eristalis pertinax Eristalis pertinax
Murky-legged Black Legionnaire Beris chalybata
Murky-legged Black Legionnaire Beris chalybata
Melanostoma scalare Melanostoma scalare
Melanostoma scalare Melanostoma scalare
Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus
Downlooker Snipefly Rhagio scolopaceus
Syrphus ribesii Syrphus ribesii
Syrphus ribesii Syrphus ribesii
Common Pondskater Gerris (Gerris) lacustris
Common Pondskater Gerris (Gerris) lacustris
Epistrophe eligans Epistrophe eligans
Epistrophe eligans Epistrophe eligans Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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