← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Big Birches Wood

✦ Ancient woodland11 ha

BirdsWildlifeForaging

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome11 ha

Getting here

51.97370, -2.86311

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦66+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Carrion Crow and Blackbird
🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦66+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Carrion Crow and Blackbird
🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕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
🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat

Best for

8 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Carrion Crow, Blackbird, House Sparrow +63 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Carrion Crow, Blackbird, House Sparrow +63 more · last seen 2025

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Foraging

Strong match

Plants — Water Mint, Hybrid Oak, Meadowsweet +14 more foraging species; Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Small-leaved Lime, Pepper-saxifrage, Glaucous Sedge +139 more · last seen 2023

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Tree Bumblebee, Red-tailed Bumblebee, White-letter Hairstreak +3 more · last seen 2019; Insects — Tree Bumblebee, Red-tailed Bumblebee, White-letter Hairstreak +3 more · last seen 2019

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby · 5 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Herefordshire TrailWalking route246.5 km

Named routeLength 246.5 kmRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

6 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Route 46Cycling route

Named routeRef 46National Cycle Network

Main RouteCycling route2.5 km

Named routeRef 46Length 2.5 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route2.7 km

Named routeRef 46Length 2.7 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route998 m

Named routeRef 46Length 998 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route2 km

Named routeRef 46Length 2 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route2.8 km

Named routeRef 46Length 2.8 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Wildlife to spot

1,724 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

1,724 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds52 species

summer

2025

Blackbird · Carrion Crow · Robin · Woodpigeon · Chaffinch +47

BlackbirdTurdus merula
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
RobinErithacus rubecula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
MagpiePica pica
JackdawColoeus monedula
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
Great TitParus major
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
House SparrowPasser domesticus
DunnockPrunella modularis
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
SwallowHirundo rustica
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
GreenfinchChloris chloris
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
RavenCorvus corax
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
WhitethroatCurruca communis
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
Coal TitPeriparus ater
Stock DoveColumba oenas
Marsh TitPoecile palustris
RookCorvus frugilegus
NuthatchSitta europaea
JayGarrulus glandarius
House MartinDelichon urbicum
RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2024
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2024
SiskinSpinus spinus
FieldfareTurdus pilaris
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
RedwingTurdus iliacus
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
Tawny OwlStrix aluco
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2024
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagris2024

🦌

Mammals4 species

springsummerautumnwinter

2025

Grey Squirrel · Common Pipistrelle · Noctule · Otter

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus
NoctuleNyctalus noctula
OtterLutra lutra

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

1,724 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds52 species

summer

2025

Blackbird · Carrion Crow · Robin · Woodpigeon · Chaffinch +47

BlackbirdTurdus merula
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
RobinErithacus rubecula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
MagpiePica pica
JackdawColoeus monedula
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
Great TitParus major
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
House SparrowPasser domesticus
DunnockPrunella modularis
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
SkylarkAlauda arvensis
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
SwallowHirundo rustica
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
GreenfinchChloris chloris
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
RavenCorvus corax
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
WhitethroatCurruca communis
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
Coal TitPeriparus ater
Stock DoveColumba oenas
Marsh TitPoecile palustris
RookCorvus frugilegus
NuthatchSitta europaea
JayGarrulus glandarius
House MartinDelichon urbicum
RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2024
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2024
SiskinSpinus spinus
FieldfareTurdus pilaris
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
RedwingTurdus iliacus
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
Tawny OwlStrix aluco
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2024
Helmeted GuineafowlNumida meleagris2024

🦌

Mammals4 species

springsummerautumnwinter

2025

Grey Squirrel · Common Pipistrelle · Noctule · Otter

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus
NoctuleNyctalus noctula
OtterLutra lutra

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Ian Capper · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

The Birches

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦WHITFIELDHistoric site2.7 km→✦Motte and bailey castle and alien priory immediately south of Castle LandsHistoric site3.2 km→✦Kilpeck Castle and ancient villageHistoric site3.7 km→✦Ewyas Harold CastleHistoric site3.2 km→✦Dore Abbey: a Cistercian monasteryHistoric site2.1 km→✦Site of Dore AbbeyHistoric site2.1 km→

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