← Back✦ Historic site

Barrow N of Ridgeway, Hodcott Down

0 ha

📷 Oscar Taylor · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifeInsects

Free entryDogs welcome0 ha

Getting here

51.54868, -1.29507

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦55+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Corn Bunting and Carrion Crow
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦55+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Corn Bunting and Carrion Crow
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

5 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Corn Bunting, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon +52 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Strong match

Birds — Corn Bunting, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon +52 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Hebrew Character, Early Grey, Common Quaker +63 more · last seen 2026

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Historic gardens

Moderate match

Historic site

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby · 1 public path nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

The RidgewayWalking route140 km

Named routeRef RWLength 140 kmNational walking route

🚴

Cycling

19 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Round Berkshire Cycle RouteCycling route

Named routeRegional cycle route

Route 544Cycling route

Named routeRef 544National Cycle Network

Wantage to Harwell Campus (Icknield Greenway)Cycling route

Named routeRef 1Local cycle route

Didcot to Harwell CampusCycling route

Named routeRef 5Local cycle route

Main RouteCycling route1.3 km

Named routeRef 544Length 1.3 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedfirm

Main RouteCycling route315 m

Named routeRef 544Length 315 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface concrete

🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

King Alfred's WayMountain bike route

King Alfreds Way is 350km (220 miles) off road route designed to be ridden clockwise. It starts & ends in Winchester. It is suitable for gravel or cross-country bikes.

Named routeRegional cycle route

🐴

Horse riding

7 public paths nearby

Public paths

The Ridgewayrestricted byway · 111 m

Public pathrestricted bywayLength 111 mSurface gravelPath type: track

The Ridgewayrestricted byway · 1.1 km

Public pathrestricted bywayLength 1.1 kmSurface dirtPath type: track

The Ridgewayrestricted byway · 1.5 km

Public pathrestricted bywayLength 1.5 kmSurface dirtPath type: track

The Ridgewayrestricted byway · 165 m

Public pathrestricted bywayLength 165 mSurface gravelPath type: track

The Ridgewayrestricted byway · 25 m

Public pathrestricted bywayLength 25 mSurface gravelPath type: track

Wildlife to spot

5,761 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

5,761 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds37 species

winter

2026

Fieldfare · Starling · Blue Tit · Robin · Woodpigeon +32

FieldfareTurdus pilaris
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
RobinErithacus rubecula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
BlackbirdTurdus merula
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra2025
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa
JackdawColoeus monedula
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus
LapwingVanellus vanellus
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Grey PartridgePerdix perdix2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Great TitParus major2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Common GullLarus canus2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

winterautumn

2026

Grey Squirrel · Roe Deer · Domestic Dog

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2025
Domestic DogCanis lupus subsp. familiaris2025

🐝

Insects6 species

winter

2026

Chestnut · Small Brindled Beauty · Common Quaker · Dotted Border · Common Brindled Brown +1

ChestnutConistra vaccinii
Small Brindled BeautyApocheima hispidaria
Common QuakerOrthosia cerasi
Dotted BorderAgriopis marginaria
Common Brindled BrownAgonopterix heracliana
Angle ShadesPhlogophora meticulosa

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

5,761 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds37 species

winter

2026

Fieldfare · Starling · Blue Tit · Robin · Woodpigeon +32

FieldfareTurdus pilaris
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
RobinErithacus rubecula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
BlackbirdTurdus merula
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra2025
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa
JackdawColoeus monedula
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus
LapwingVanellus vanellus
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Grey PartridgePerdix perdix2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Great TitParus major2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Common GullLarus canus2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

winterautumn

2026

Grey Squirrel · Roe Deer · Domestic Dog

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Roe DeerCapreolus capreolus2025
Domestic DogCanis lupus subsp. familiaris2025

🐝

Insects6 species

winter

2026

Chestnut · Small Brindled Beauty · Common Quaker · Dotted Border · Common Brindled Brown +1

ChestnutConistra vaccinii
Small Brindled BeautyApocheima hispidaria
Common QuakerOrthosia cerasi
Dotted BorderAgriopis marginaria
Common Brindled BrownAgonopterix heracliana
Angle ShadesPhlogophora meticulosa

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Oscar Taylor · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

The Ridgeway

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