Birch Spring ✦ Ancient woodland 2 ha
Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🍂 Seasonal
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 2 ha
Places › England › Eastern › North Hertfordshire Getting here
51.87112, -0.35346
Open directionsv Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 📍 Open access throughout summer — no booking required 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 📍 Open access throughout summer — no booking required £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🌿 Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Woodpigeon, Starling, Blackbird +73 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Starling, Blackbird +73 more · last seen 2026
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Plants — Herb-Robert, Lady's Bedstraw, Wild Mignonette +27 more · last seen 2025; Plants — Herb-Robert, Lady's Bedstraw, Wild Mignonette +27 more · last seen 2025
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic; Plants — Bristly Oxtongue, Blackthorn, Henbit Dead-nettle +4 more foraging species
Varies
🦋 Insect spotting
Good match
Insects — Dark-edged Bee-fly, Willow Emerald Damselfly, Tipula vernalis +11 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Dark-edged Bee-fly, Willow Emerald Damselfly, Tipula vernalis +11 more · last seen 2025
Free
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 12 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
The Chiltern Way Walking route 275 km ▾
A waymarked long-distance footpath in southern England
Named route Ref CW Length 275 km Regional walking route
Show on map Wheathampstead to Shaw's Corner Circular Walk, Shaw's Corner Walking route 12.2 km ▾
Mostly easy walking across established footpaths and fields. There are some steps along the route, and a steep gully at section 2. Assistance dogs only at Shaw's Corner.
Named route Length 12.2 km Duration 03:00 Round trip Local walking route
Show on map Lea Valley Walk (link to Luton Parkway station) Walking route ▾
Named route Regional walking route
Show on map Hertfordshire Way Walking route 267 km ▾
Long distance path
Named route Length 267 km Regional walking route
Show on map The Chiltern Way Northern Extension Walking route ▾
Long distance path
Named route Ref CWN Regional walking route
Show on map 51 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
NCN National Route 606 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 606 National Cycle Network
Show on map Ride on the wild side Cycling route ▾
Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Route 6 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 6 National Cycle Network
Show on map NCN National Route 57 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 57 National Cycle Network
Show on map Recreational Cycle Route 16 Cycling route ▾
Local circular? cycle route
Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Chilterns Cycleway Cycling route ▾
Named route Round trip Regional cycle route
Show on map 1 public path nearby
Public paths
No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.
✦ Ancient woodland — continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD. A rare and irreplaceable habitat, rich in biodiversity and historical character.
Photos Solar Farm, Dane Street Farm
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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
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Wildlife to spot
6,552 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 6,552 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 51 species
spring winter
2026 ▾
Starling · Goldfinch · Woodpigeon · Carrion Crow · Magpie +46
Starling Sturnus vulgaris Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Skylark Alauda arvensis2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Coal Tit Periparus ater2025 Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis2025 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs2025 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus2025 Siskin Spinus spinus2025 Stonechat Saxicola rubicola2025 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula2025 Fieldfare Turdus pilaris2025 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Greenfinch Chloris chloris2025 Redwing Turdus iliacus2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 Pheasant Phasianus colchicus2025 Swift Apus apus2025 Lesser Whitethroat Curruca curruca2025 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2025 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus2025 Linnet Linaria cannabina2025 Garden Warbler Sylvia borin2025 Whitethroat Curruca communis2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa2025 Common Gull Larus canus2025 Barn Owl Tyto alba2025 Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris2025 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea2025 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2025 Stock Dove Columba oenas2025 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus2025 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus2025 🐝 Insects 6 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Dark-edged Bee-fly · Willow Emerald Damselfly · Conops quadrifasciatus · Eristalis · Sphaerophoria scripta +1
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major Willow Emerald Damselfly Chalcolestes viridis Conops quadrifasciatus Conops quadrifasciatus Eristalis Eristalis Sphaerophoria scripta Sphaerophoria scripta Sheep-strike Greenbottle Lucilia sericata 🌿 Plants 19 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Herb-Robert · Lady's Bedstraw · Wild Mignonette · Common Toadflax · Bristly Oxtongue +14
Herb-Robert Geranium robertianum Lady's Bedstraw Galium verum Wild Mignonette Reseda lutea Common Toadflax Linaria vulgaris Bristly Oxtongue Helminthotheca echioides Musk Stork's-bill Erodium moschatum Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 6,552 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 51 species
spring winter
2026 ▾
Starling · Goldfinch · Woodpigeon · Carrion Crow · Magpie +46
Starling Sturnus vulgaris Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Skylark Alauda arvensis2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Coal Tit Periparus ater2025 Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis2025 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs2025 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus2025 Siskin Spinus spinus2025 Stonechat Saxicola rubicola2025 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula2025 Fieldfare Turdus pilaris2025 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Greenfinch Chloris chloris2025 Redwing Turdus iliacus2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 Pheasant Phasianus colchicus2025 Swift Apus apus2025 Lesser Whitethroat Curruca curruca2025 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2025 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus2025 Linnet Linaria cannabina2025 Garden Warbler Sylvia borin2025 Whitethroat Curruca communis2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa2025 Common Gull Larus canus2025 Barn Owl Tyto alba2025 Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris2025 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea2025 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2025 Stock Dove Columba oenas2025 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus2025 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus2025 🐝 Insects 6 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Dark-edged Bee-fly · Willow Emerald Damselfly · Conops quadrifasciatus · Eristalis · Sphaerophoria scripta +1
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major Willow Emerald Damselfly Chalcolestes viridis Conops quadrifasciatus Conops quadrifasciatus Eristalis Eristalis Sphaerophoria scripta Sphaerophoria scripta Sheep-strike Greenbottle Lucilia sericata 🌿 Plants 19 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Herb-Robert · Lady's Bedstraw · Wild Mignonette · Common Toadflax · Bristly Oxtongue +14
Herb-Robert Geranium robertianum Lady's Bedstraw Galium verum Wild Mignonette Reseda lutea Common Toadflax Linaria vulgaris Bristly Oxtongue Helminthotheca echioides Musk Stork's-bill Erodium moschatum Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wild Teasel
Wild Teasel
Dipsacus fullonum
Dipsacus fullonum
Blackthorn Prunus spinosa
Blackthorn Prunus spinosa
Wild Carrot Daucus carota
Wild Carrot Daucus carota
Field Madder Sherardia arvensis
Field Madder Sherardia arvensis
Sun Spurge Euphorbia helioscopia
Sun Spurge Euphorbia helioscopia
Great Mullein Verbascum thapsus
Great Mullein Verbascum thapsus
Henbit Dead-nettle Lamium amplexicaule
Henbit Dead-nettle Lamium amplexicaule
Wall Speedwell Veronica arvensis
Wall Speedwell Veronica arvensis
Field Pansy Viola arvensis
Field Pansy Viola arvensis
Opium Poppy Papaver somniferum
Opium Poppy Papaver somniferum
Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta
Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta
White Dead-nettle Lamium album
White Dead-nettle Lamium album
Ground-ivy Glechoma hederacea
Ground-ivy Glechoma hederacea 