The Downs - Broadleaved woodland
6 ha
Plan your visit
🐶Dogs🦉Wildlife🦅Birds
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome6 ha
Getting here
51.92172, -0.30514
Open directionsv
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- ☀️June — canopy now fully closed, creating cool dappled shade even on warm days
- 🐕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
- ☀️June — canopy now fully closed, creating cool dappled shade even on warm days
- 🐕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
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
Deciduous woodland priority habitat
Free
🦅Bird watching
Strong match
Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Named hiking route nearby: The Chiltern Way Northern Extension
Free
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km15 signed routes nearby · 3 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
The Chiltern WayWalking route275 km▾
A waymarked long-distance footpath in southern England
Named routeRef CWLength 275 kmRegional walking route
Icknield Way PathWalking route169 km▾
long distance footpath 169 km
Named routeLength 169 kmRegional walking route
Hertfordshire WayWalking route267 km▾
Long distance path
Named routeLength 267 kmRegional walking route
STOOP Link Path 7 - Stevenage Outer Orbital PathWalking route▾
Link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 10 o'clock on clockface)
Named routeLocal walking route
STOOP Link Path 6 - Stevenage Outer Orbital PathWalking route▾
Link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 9 o'clock on clockface)
Named routeLocal walking route
4 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Ride on the wild sideCycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
Chilterns Cycleway (road alternative)Cycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
Recreational Cycle Route 16Cycling route▾
Local circular? cycle route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Chilterns CyclewayCycling route▾
Named routeRound tripRegional cycle route
1 signed route nearby
Signed route nearby
Icknield Way Cycle TrailMountain bike route226 km▾
This is the off-road or mountain cycling route of the Icknield Way Trail.
Named routeLength 226 kmRegional cycle route
6 public paths nearby
Public paths
Hoar's Lanebyway open to all traffic · 801 m▾
Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 801 mSurface groundPath type: track
Photos
Buildings at Offley Holes Farm
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
How useful was the information on this page?
id: 86308fb2-5571-4a06-9b6f-fcb52d6cc674
Wildlife to spot
15,300 records · National Biodiversity Network
Wildlife to spot
15,300 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds47 species
springwinter
2025▾
Pheasant · Carrion Crow · Great Spotted Woodpecker · Chaffinch · Robin +42
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Great TitParus major
- Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- MagpiePica pica
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa
- LinnetLinaria cannabina
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- NuthatchSitta europaea
- SiskinSpinus spinus
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- Common GullLarus canus
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Barn OwlTyto alba
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- SwiftApus apus
- SwallowHirundo rustica
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Lesser WhitethroatCurruca curruca
- WhitethroatCurruca communis
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
Grey Squirrel · Brown Rat · Wood Mouse · Rabbit · Brown Hare
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025
- Brown RatRattus norvegicus
- Wood MouseApodemus sylvaticus2025
- RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2025
- Brown HareLepus europaeus2025
🐸Amphibians2 species
summer
2025▾
Smooth Newt · Common Frog
- Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris
- Common FrogRana temporaria
🐝Insects38 species
springsummer
2026▾
Common Darter · Azure Damselfly · Large Red Damselfly · Willow Emerald Damselfly · 7-spot Ladybird +33
- Common DarterSympetrum striolatum2025
- Azure DamselflyCoenagrion puella2025
- Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula2025
- Willow Emerald DamselflyChalcolestes viridis2025
- 7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2025
🌿Plants10 species
springsummer
2025▾
Swine-cress · Wood Speedwell · Sweet-briar · Fairy Flax · Square-stalked St John's-wort +5
- Swine-cressLepidium coronopus
- Wood SpeedwellVeronica montana
- Sweet-briarRosa rubiginosa
- Fairy FlaxLinum catharticum
- Square-stalked St John's-wortHypericum tetrapterum
- Common CentauryCentaurium erythraea
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot
15,300 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds47 species
springwinter
2025▾
Pheasant · Carrion Crow · Great Spotted Woodpecker · Chaffinch · Robin +42
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Great TitParus major
- Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- MagpiePica pica
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa
- LinnetLinaria cannabina
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- NuthatchSitta europaea
- SiskinSpinus spinus
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- Common GullLarus canus
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Barn OwlTyto alba
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- SwiftApus apus
- SwallowHirundo rustica
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Lesser WhitethroatCurruca curruca
- WhitethroatCurruca communis
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
Grey Squirrel · Brown Rat · Wood Mouse · Rabbit · Brown Hare
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025
- Brown RatRattus norvegicus
- Wood MouseApodemus sylvaticus2025
- RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2025
- Brown HareLepus europaeus2025
🐸Amphibians2 species
summer
2025▾
Smooth Newt · Common Frog
- Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris
- Common FrogRana temporaria
🐝Insects38 species
springsummer
2026▾
Common Darter · Azure Damselfly · Large Red Damselfly · Willow Emerald Damselfly · 7-spot Ladybird +33
- Common DarterSympetrum striolatum2025
- Azure DamselflyCoenagrion puella2025
- Large Red DamselflyPyrrhosoma nymphula2025
- Willow Emerald DamselflyChalcolestes viridis2025
- 7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2025
🌿Plants10 species
springsummer
2025▾
Swine-cress · Wood Speedwell · Sweet-briar · Fairy Flax · Square-stalked St John's-wort +5
- Swine-cressLepidium coronopus
- Wood SpeedwellVeronica montana
- Sweet-briarRosa rubiginosa
- Fairy FlaxLinum catharticum
- Square-stalked St John's-wortHypericum tetrapterum
- Common CentauryCentaurium erythraea
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Viper's-bugloss
Viper's-bugloss
Echium vulgare
Echium vulgare
Smooth TareErvum tetraspermumSmooth TareErvum tetraspermumSoft-bromeBromus hordeaceusSoft-bromeBromus hordeaceusField GromwellBuglossoides arvensisField GromwellBuglossoides arvensisEvents & activities nearby
Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.