Plan your visit
Getting here
51.53589, 0.07547
About Barking Abbey
The Abbey of St Mary and St Ethelburga, founded in the 7th-century and commonly known as Barking Abbey, is a former Roman Catholic, royal monastery located in Barking, in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. It has been described as having been "one of the most important nunneries in the country".
Read more on Wikipedia →Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦82+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Peregrine and Mallard
- ✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
- ☕Zanzibar Foods — a good base for a longer summer day out
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦82+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Peregrine and Mallard
- ✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
- ☕Zanzibar Foods — a good base for a longer summer day out
Good to know
- £Free to visit — no entry charge
- 🐕Dogs welcome
Best for
Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Peregrine, Mallard, Herring Gull +79 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds
Wildlife
Strong match
Birds — Peregrine, Mallard, Herring Gull +79 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland priority habitat
Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Eristalis tenax, Dor Beetle, Dock Bug +17 more · last seen 2026
Heritage
Strong match
Historic site; Grade I listed building nearby: PARISH CHURCH OF ST MARGARET
Foraging
Good match
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Seasonal nature
Moderate match
Plants — Cowslip, Japanese Knotweed · last seen 2024
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km🚶Walking
37 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Walking
Green Chain Walk section 1 linkWalking route
Lea Valley WalkWalking route
Transport for London's Section 1 of the Lea Valley Walk within London
The LineWalking route
The LineWalking route
Greenwich Meridian TrailWalking route440 km
A long-distance walk that follows the line of the Prime Meridian. Inaugurated in 2009, to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the Greenwich Meridian.
🚴Cycling
240 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Cycling
Cycleway 22Cycling route
LCN 64Cycling route
LCN 12Cycling route
Cycleway 3Cycling route
NCN National Route 1Cycling route
Cycleway 3Cycling route
Wildlife to spot
Photos
Weather for this location
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Nearby places
Useful places within 5 km