← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Ashton Heath

4 ha

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome4 ha

Getting here

53.48217, -2.62753

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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

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

7 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Woodpigeon, Mallard, Moorhen +69 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Mallard, Moorhen +69 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Yorkshire-fog, Himalayan Balsam, Wood Avens +46 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Yorkshire-fog, Himalayan Balsam, Wood Avens +46 more · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Foraging

Good match

Plants — Rowan, Garlic Mustard, Hawthorn +5 more foraging species; Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Harlequin Ladybird, Common Wasp, 7-spot Ladybird +14 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Harlequin Ladybird, Common Wasp, 7-spot Ladybird +14 more · last seen 2026

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

GM Ringway Stage 16Walking route16.3 km

GM Ringway Stage 16 - Wigan to Leigh

Named routeLength 16.3 kmRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Sankey Canal TrailCycling route

Named routeRef SCTLocal cycle route

Wildlife to spot

4,973 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

4,973 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds55 species

summerautumnwinter

2026

Woodpigeon · Magpie · Lesser Black-backed Gull · Blackbird · Carrion Crow +50

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
MagpiePica pica
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus
RobinErithacus rubecula
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Great TitParus major
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2024
SwiftApus apus2024
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2024
CootFulica atra2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2024
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava2024
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2024
WhitethroatCurruca communis2024
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2024

🦌

Mammals2 species

springsummerautumnwinter

2026

Grey Squirrel · Rabbit

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2024

🐝

Insects7 species

autumn

2026

7-spot Ladybird · Pea-leaf Weevil · Harlequin Ladybird · Common Wasp · Western Honey Bee +2

7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2025
Pea-leaf WeevilSitona lineatus
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
Common WaspVespula vulgaris2025
Western Honey BeeApis mellifera2025
Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus

🌿

Plants14 species

summer

2026

Early Crocus · Spotted-laurel · Reed Canary-grass · Sycamore · Coltsfoot +9

Early CrocusCrocus tommasinianus
Spotted-laurelAucuba japonica
Reed Canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea2025
SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus2025
ColtsfootTussilago farfara2025
SnowberrySymphoricarpos albus2025

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

4,973 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds55 species

summerautumnwinter

2026

Woodpigeon · Magpie · Lesser Black-backed Gull · Blackbird · Carrion Crow +50

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
MagpiePica pica
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus
RobinErithacus rubecula
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Great TitParus major
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2024
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2024
SwiftApus apus2024
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2024
CootFulica atra2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2024
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava2024
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2024
WhitethroatCurruca communis2024
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2024

🦌

Mammals2 species

springsummerautumnwinter

2026

Grey Squirrel · Rabbit

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2024

🐝

Insects7 species

autumn

2026

7-spot Ladybird · Pea-leaf Weevil · Harlequin Ladybird · Common Wasp · Western Honey Bee +2

7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2025
Pea-leaf WeevilSitona lineatus
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
Common WaspVespula vulgaris2025
Western Honey BeeApis mellifera2025
Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus

🌿

Plants14 species

summer

2026

Early Crocus · Spotted-laurel · Reed Canary-grass · Sycamore · Coltsfoot +9

Early CrocusCrocus tommasinianus
Spotted-laurelAucuba japonica
Reed Canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea2025
SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus2025
ColtsfootTussilago farfara2025
SnowberrySymphoricarpos albus2025

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Dave Green · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Ashton Heath

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🦉THREE SISTERS (WIGAN)Nature reserve2.6 km→🌱Mesnes ParkUrban park3.2 km→🌱King George V Playing FieldsUrban park1.1 km→🌱Jubilee ParkUrban park1.3 km→🌱Golborne Park (The Bonk)Urban park1.9 km→🌱Willow ParkUrban park3.1 km→

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