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Balcombe Forest

✦ Ancient woodland88 ha

📷 N Chadwick · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome88 ha

Getting here

51.07031, -0.15109

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

  • ☀️June — canopy now fully closed, creating cool dappled shade even on warm days
  • 🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
  • 🅿️Parking 180m away — 2 car parks within reach

Good to know

  • £Free to visit — no entry charge
  • 🐕Dogs welcome
  • 🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat
Parking· Free

Best for

7 activities

Wildlife

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

Free

Bird watching

Birds — Blue Tit, Robin, Chaffinch +66 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Blue Tit, Robin, Chaffinch +66 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour

Free

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Foraging

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Forest walks

Public woodland

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

8 signed routes nearby · 15 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Sussex Diamond WayWalking route97 km
Named routeLength 97 kmRegional walking route
Crawley GreenwayWalking route

walking route around Crawley along many leafy paths, signposted

Named routeLocal walking route
Sussex Ouse Valley WayWalking route67 km
Named routeLength 67 kmRegional walking route
Worth WayWalking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Accessible Route, NymansWalking route1.2 km

Nurtured for nearly 130 years, the garden features an internationally important plant collection containing species from around the world.

Named routeLength 1.2 kmRound tripLocal walking route
Boundary Roadpublic footpath · 414 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 414 mSurface asphaltPath type: track
Westup Roadpublic footpath · 29 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 29 mSurface asphaltPath type: service
Boundary Roadpublic footpath · 638 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 638 mSurface asphaltPath type: track
🚴

Cycling

80 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Route KCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route J (incomplete)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route JCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route F (incomplete)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route DCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
National Cycle Route 228 Crawley to PulboroughCycling route
Named routeRef 228National Cycle Network
🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby
Tilgate Forest SingletrackMountain bike route
Named route
🐴

Horse riding

2 public paths nearby

Public paths

No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Balcombe Forest

📷 N Chadwick · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Balcombe Forest

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🏞️TILGATE PARKCountry park3.3 km→🌱Tilgate ParkUrban park3.3 km→🌱Waterlea MeadowUrban park4.4 km→🌱Tilgate ParkUrban park3.3 km→🌱Alf Pegler walled gardenUrban park3.3 km→🌱The Heather GardenUrban park3.5 km→

Nearby reservoirs

💧

New Pond

South of Tilgate Forest

Medium2.5 km→

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