Plan your visit
✦ Heritage♿ Easy🏡 Gardens
Free entry Dogs welcome 0 ha
Getting here
51.88967, 0.89392
Open directionsv Balkerne Gate is a Roman gateway in Colchester. It is the largest surviving gateway in Roman Britain and was built where the Roman road from Londinium intersected the town wall of Camulodunum. It is a scheduled monument and a Grade I listed building.
Read more on Wikipedia → Arch scheduled monument c. 100
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ ☀️ June — long evenings and clear skies; one of the most rewarding months for a late visit ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting ☕ Costa — a good base for a longer summer day out 🌤️ Visiting this summer
☀️ June — long evenings and clear skies; one of the most rewarding months for a late visit ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting ☕ Costa — a good base for a longer summer day out £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome☕ Café🅿️ Parking· Paid 🛝 Playground🚻 Toilets
✦ Heritage
Very strong match
Grade I listed building: THE BALKERNE GATE; Historic site
Free
🏡 Historic gardens
Moderate match
Historic site
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 16 signed routes nearby · 17 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
Colchester Orbital West B Walking route ▾
Named route Local walking route
Show on map Colchester Orbital West A Walking route ▾
Named route Local walking route
Show on map Colchester Orbital Spoke (North) Walking route ▾
Named route Local walking route
Show on map Colchester Orbital Spoke (West) Walking route ▾
Named route Local walking route
Show on map Colchester Orbital Spoke (South) Walking route ▾
Named route Local walking route
Show on map Eld Lane public footpath · 88 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 88 m Surface paved Path type: pedestrian
Show on map Scheregate Steps public footpath · 2 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 2 m Path type: footway
Show on map Ball Alley public footpath · 65 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 65 m Surface paved Path type: footway
Show on map 156 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
NCN 51 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 51 National Cycle Network
Show on map Greenstead to North Station Cycling route ▾
Named route Local cycle route
Show on map EuroVelo 2 - Capitals Route - part United Kingdom 8 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref EV2 International cycle route
Show on map Colchester Orbital Cycle Cycling route ▾
Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Colchester Orbital Cycle Spoke (South-East) Cycling route ▾
Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Colchester Orbital Cycle Spoke (North East) Cycling route ▾
Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Photos The Hole in The Wall Public House and Balkerne Gate
‹ ›
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
Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
Bookable tours GetYourGuide Tripadvisor
Wildlife to spot
23,594 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 23,594 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 45 species
autumn winter
2026 ▾
Woodpigeon · Robin · Magpie · Blue Tit · Redwing +40
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Magpie Pica pica Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Redwing Turdus iliacus2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2025 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti2025 Starling Sturnus vulgaris2025 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus2025 Skylark Alauda arvensis2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis2025 Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Coot Fulica atra2025 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Jay Garrulus glandarius2025 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs2025 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis2025 Coal Tit Periparus ater2025 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2025 Stock Dove Columba oenas2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Gadwall Mareca strepera2025 Common Gull Larus canus2025 Mute Swan Cygnus olor2025 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2025 Swallow Hirundo rustica2025 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula2025 🦌 Mammals 8 species
autumn winter
2026 ▾
Grey Squirrel · Rabbit · Red Fox · Brown Rat · Muntjac +3
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus2025 Red Fox Vulpes vulpes2025 Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi2025 Feral Cat Felis catus 🐸 Amphibians 2 species
winter autumn
2026 ▾
Common Toad · Common Frog
Common Toad Bufo bufo Common Frog Rana temporaria2025 Firebug · Western Conifer Seed Bug · Helophilus pendulus · Rose Chafer · Trioza centranthi +2
Firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis2025 Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus2025 Rose Chafer Cetonia aurata Trioza centranthi Trioza centranthi Acericerus heydenii Acericerus heydenii2025 Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 23,594 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 45 species
autumn winter
2026 ▾
Woodpigeon · Robin · Magpie · Blue Tit · Redwing +40
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Magpie Pica pica Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Redwing Turdus iliacus2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2025 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti2025 Starling Sturnus vulgaris2025 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus2025 Skylark Alauda arvensis2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis2025 Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Coot Fulica atra2025 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Jay Garrulus glandarius2025 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs2025 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis2025 Coal Tit Periparus ater2025 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2025 Stock Dove Columba oenas2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Gadwall Mareca strepera2025 Common Gull Larus canus2025 Mute Swan Cygnus olor2025 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2025 Swallow Hirundo rustica2025 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula2025 🦌 Mammals 8 species
autumn winter
2026 ▾
Grey Squirrel · Rabbit · Red Fox · Brown Rat · Muntjac +3
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus2025 Red Fox Vulpes vulpes2025 Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi2025 Feral Cat Felis catus 🐸 Amphibians 2 species
winter autumn
2026 ▾
Common Toad · Common Frog
Common Toad Bufo bufo Common Frog Rana temporaria2025 Firebug · Western Conifer Seed Bug · Helophilus pendulus · Rose Chafer · Trioza centranthi +2
Firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis2025 Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus2025 Rose Chafer Cetonia aurata Trioza centranthi Trioza centranthi Acericerus heydenii Acericerus heydenii2025 Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
2025
2025
Badger Meles meles2025
Badger Meles meles2025
Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus2025
Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus2025
Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea2025
Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea2025 