← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Rays Wood - Broadleaved woodland

✦ Ancient woodland17 ha

📷 Alan Murray-Rust · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeDogsSeasonal

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome17 ha

Getting here

52.94451, -1.94233

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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

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome
🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat

Best for

7 activities

Wildlife

Strong match

Deciduous woodland priority habitat; Ancient woodland

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour

Free

Bird watching

Strong match

Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds

Free

Foraging

Good match

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Forest walks

Good match

Public woodland

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby · 2 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Staffordshire Way (Rushton Spencer - Cannock Chase)Walking route76 km

Staffordshire Way, part Rushton Spencer - Cannock Chase

Named routeLength 76 kmRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

4 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Route 549Cycling route

Named routeRef 549National Cycle Network

Churnet Valley CyclewayCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

N/ACycling route112 m

Named routeLength 112 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

N/ACycling route375 m

Named routeLength 375 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

🐴

Horse riding

3 public paths nearby

Public paths

Overton Lanebridleway · 249 m

Public pathbridlewayLength 249 mPath type: service

Wildlife to spot

1,987 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

1,987 records · National Biodiversity Network

🌿

Plants155 species

summer

2025

Perennial Rye-grass · Cock's-foot · Prickly Sow-thistle · Nipplewort · Barren Brome +150

Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Prickly Sow-thistleSonchus asper
NipplewortLapsana communis
Barren BromeAnisantha sterilis
Creeping CinquefoilPotentilla reptans
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
KnotgrassPolygonum aviculare
Hedge WoundwortStachys sylvatica
Smooth Sow-thistleSonchus oleraceus
Creeping ButtercupRanunculus repens
Field-roseRosa arvensis
Dog-roseRosa canina
Creeping BentAgrostis stolonifera
Dog's MercuryMercurialis perennis
HollyIlex aquifolium
Shining Crane's-billGeranium lucidum
SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus
IvyHedera helix
Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
Sheep's Fescue agg.Festuca ovina
HazelCorylus avellana
Male-fernDryopteris filix-mas
Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris
SilverweedPotentilla anserina
Field MapleAcer campestre
AshFraxinus excelsior
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
CleaversGalium aparine
ElderSambucus nigra
Meadow FoxtailAlopecurus pratensis
DandelionTaraxacum
Garlic MustardAlliaria petiolata
Common NettleUrtica dioica
Smooth Meadow-grassPoa pratensis
Crab AppleMalus sylvestris
Wood AvensGeum urbanum
PineappleweedMatricaria discoidea
Hedgerow Crane's-billGeranium pyrenaicum
Broad-leaved DockRumex obtusifolius
Wych ElmUlmus glabra
Black BentAgrostis gigantea
Garden Lady's-mantleAlchemilla mollis
MugwortArtemisia vulgaris
BroomCytisus scoparius
LilacSyringa vulgaris
Guelder-roseViburnum opulus
Tufted VetchVicia cracca
WalnutJuglans regia
Common ComfreySymphytum officinale
SkullcapScutellaria galericulata
BrambleRubus fruticosus
Common SorrelRumex acetosa
Greater PeriwinkleVinca major
AlderAlnus glutinosa
Wood DockRumex sanguineus
Lesser Sea-spurreySpergularia marina
Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum
ButterburPetasites hybridus
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
Bush VetchVicia sepium
PrimrosePrimula vulgaris
Rosebay WillowherbChamaenerion angustifolium
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Cut-leaved Crane's-billGeranium dissectum
Herb-RobertGeranium robertianum
Pedunculate OakQuercus robur
Wild StrawberryFragaria vesca
Winter-cressBarbarea vulgaris
HawthornCrataegus monogyna
Toad RushJuncus bufonius
Field HorsetailEquisetum arvense
Lesser BurdockArctium minus
Greater PlantainPlantago major
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
Hoary WillowherbEpilobium parviflorum
Wilson's HoneysuckleLonicera nitida
RedshankPersicaria maculosa
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
Wood MilletMilium effusum
ColumbineAquilegia vulgaris
Hairy Bitter-cressCardamine hirsuta
SnowberrySymphoricarpos albus
Hoary PlantainPlantago media
PolypodyPolypodium vulgare
Green AlkanetPentaglottis sempervirens
Spear MintMentha spicata
RamsonsAllium ursinum
Opium PoppyPapaver somniferum
White Dead-nettleLamium album
Smooth Hawk's-beardCrepis capillaris
DaisyBellis perennis
Wild TeaselDipsacus fullonum
Butterfly-bushBuddleja davidii
Creeping ThistleCirsium arvense
TutsanHypericum androsaemum
Flowering CurrantRibes sanguineum
Goat's-beardTragopogon pratensis
Himalayan BalsamImpatiens glandulifera
Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria
Common RagwortJacobaea vulgaris
HonestyLunaria annua
Common VetchVicia sativa
Wall-rueAsplenium ruta-muraria
Field Forget-me-notMyosotis arvensis
Silver BirchBetula pendula
Wild AngelicaAngelica sylvestris
Curled DockRumex crispus
False Oat-grassArrhenatherum elatius
Common ChickweedStellaria media
Common Field-speedwellVeronica persica
Spear ThistleCirsium vulgare
Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum
GroundselSenecio vulgaris
Ground-ivyGlechoma hederacea
Red CampionSilene dioica
Annual Meadow-grassPoa annua
Hart's-TongueAsplenium scolopendrium
Hedera hibernica 'Hibernica'Hedera hibernica 'Hibernica'
DogwoodCornus sanguinea
HoneysuckleLonicera periclymenum
BluebellHyacinthoides non-scripta
Purple ToadflaxLinaria purpurea
BrackenPteridium aquilinum
Meadow FescueSchedonorus pratensis
Broad Buckler-fernDryopteris dilatata
Great WillowherbEpilobium hirsutum
YarrowAchillea millefolium
Dame's-violetHesperis matronalis
Festuca rubraFestuca rubra
Welsh PoppyPapaver cambricum
Horse-chestnutAesculus hippocastanum
Sticky GroundselSenecio viscosus
Petty SpurgeEuphorbia peplus
Garden PrivetLigustrum ovalifolium
ColtsfootTussilago farfara
White WillowSalix alba
Meadow ButtercupRanunculus acris
Fox-and-cubsPilosella aurantiaca
Greater StitchwortStellaria holostea
Black BryonyTamus communis
ForsythiaForsythia suspensa x viridissima = F. x intermedia
Crack-willowSalix alba x euxina = S. x fragilis
White StonecropSedum album
Common Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus subsp. hordeaceus
FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
Ground-elderAegopodium podagraria
Common OracheAtriplex patula
AspenPopulus tremula
White CloverTrifolium repens
Common SallowSalix cinerea
False-bromeBrachypodium sylvaticum

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

1,987 records · National Biodiversity Network

🌿

Plants155 species

summer

2025

Perennial Rye-grass · Cock's-foot · Prickly Sow-thistle · Nipplewort · Barren Brome +150

Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Prickly Sow-thistleSonchus asper
NipplewortLapsana communis
Barren BromeAnisantha sterilis
Creeping CinquefoilPotentilla reptans
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
KnotgrassPolygonum aviculare
Hedge WoundwortStachys sylvatica
Smooth Sow-thistleSonchus oleraceus
Creeping ButtercupRanunculus repens
Field-roseRosa arvensis
Dog-roseRosa canina
Creeping BentAgrostis stolonifera
Dog's MercuryMercurialis perennis
HollyIlex aquifolium
Shining Crane's-billGeranium lucidum
SycamoreAcer pseudoplatanus
IvyHedera helix
Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
Sheep's Fescue agg.Festuca ovina
HazelCorylus avellana
Male-fernDryopteris filix-mas
Cow ParsleyAnthriscus sylvestris
SilverweedPotentilla anserina
Field MapleAcer campestre
AshFraxinus excelsior
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
CleaversGalium aparine
ElderSambucus nigra
Meadow FoxtailAlopecurus pratensis
DandelionTaraxacum
Garlic MustardAlliaria petiolata
Common NettleUrtica dioica
Smooth Meadow-grassPoa pratensis
Crab AppleMalus sylvestris
Wood AvensGeum urbanum
PineappleweedMatricaria discoidea
Hedgerow Crane's-billGeranium pyrenaicum
Broad-leaved DockRumex obtusifolius
Wych ElmUlmus glabra
Black BentAgrostis gigantea
Garden Lady's-mantleAlchemilla mollis
MugwortArtemisia vulgaris
BroomCytisus scoparius
LilacSyringa vulgaris
Guelder-roseViburnum opulus
Tufted VetchVicia cracca
WalnutJuglans regia
Common ComfreySymphytum officinale
SkullcapScutellaria galericulata
BrambleRubus fruticosus
Common SorrelRumex acetosa
Greater PeriwinkleVinca major
AlderAlnus glutinosa
Wood DockRumex sanguineus
Lesser Sea-spurreySpergularia marina
Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum
ButterburPetasites hybridus
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
Bush VetchVicia sepium
PrimrosePrimula vulgaris
Rosebay WillowherbChamaenerion angustifolium
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Cut-leaved Crane's-billGeranium dissectum
Herb-RobertGeranium robertianum
Pedunculate OakQuercus robur
Wild StrawberryFragaria vesca
Winter-cressBarbarea vulgaris
HawthornCrataegus monogyna
Toad RushJuncus bufonius
Field HorsetailEquisetum arvense
Lesser BurdockArctium minus
Greater PlantainPlantago major
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
Hoary WillowherbEpilobium parviflorum
Wilson's HoneysuckleLonicera nitida
RedshankPersicaria maculosa
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
Wood MilletMilium effusum
ColumbineAquilegia vulgaris
Hairy Bitter-cressCardamine hirsuta
SnowberrySymphoricarpos albus
Hoary PlantainPlantago media
PolypodyPolypodium vulgare
Green AlkanetPentaglottis sempervirens
Spear MintMentha spicata
RamsonsAllium ursinum
Opium PoppyPapaver somniferum
White Dead-nettleLamium album
Smooth Hawk's-beardCrepis capillaris
DaisyBellis perennis
Wild TeaselDipsacus fullonum
Butterfly-bushBuddleja davidii
Creeping ThistleCirsium arvense
TutsanHypericum androsaemum
Flowering CurrantRibes sanguineum
Goat's-beardTragopogon pratensis
Himalayan BalsamImpatiens glandulifera
Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria
Common RagwortJacobaea vulgaris
HonestyLunaria annua
Common VetchVicia sativa
Wall-rueAsplenium ruta-muraria
Field Forget-me-notMyosotis arvensis
Silver BirchBetula pendula
Wild AngelicaAngelica sylvestris
Curled DockRumex crispus
False Oat-grassArrhenatherum elatius
Common ChickweedStellaria media
Common Field-speedwellVeronica persica
Spear ThistleCirsium vulgare
Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum
GroundselSenecio vulgaris
Ground-ivyGlechoma hederacea
Red CampionSilene dioica
Annual Meadow-grassPoa annua
Hart's-TongueAsplenium scolopendrium
Hedera hibernica 'Hibernica'Hedera hibernica 'Hibernica'
DogwoodCornus sanguinea
HoneysuckleLonicera periclymenum
BluebellHyacinthoides non-scripta
Purple ToadflaxLinaria purpurea
BrackenPteridium aquilinum
Meadow FescueSchedonorus pratensis
Broad Buckler-fernDryopteris dilatata
Great WillowherbEpilobium hirsutum
YarrowAchillea millefolium
Dame's-violetHesperis matronalis
Festuca rubraFestuca rubra
Welsh PoppyPapaver cambricum
Horse-chestnutAesculus hippocastanum
Sticky GroundselSenecio viscosus
Petty SpurgeEuphorbia peplus
Garden PrivetLigustrum ovalifolium
ColtsfootTussilago farfara
White WillowSalix alba
Meadow ButtercupRanunculus acris
Fox-and-cubsPilosella aurantiaca
Greater StitchwortStellaria holostea
Black BryonyTamus communis
ForsythiaForsythia suspensa x viridissima = F. x intermedia
Crack-willowSalix alba x euxina = S. x fragilis
White StonecropSedum album
Common Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus subsp. hordeaceus
FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
Ground-elderAegopodium podagraria
Common OracheAtriplex patula
AspenPopulus tremula
White CloverTrifolium repens
Common SallowSalix cinerea
False-bromeBrachypodium sylvaticum

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Alan Murray-Rust · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Fields above Checkley

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Nearby places

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🌱Tean Recreation GroundUrban park3.3 km→🌱Wentlows Playing FieldsUrban park3.3 km→✦Three Anglo-Scandinavian crosses in St Mary's and All Saints' churchyardHistoric site1.4 km→🌱Ornamental GardenUrban park1.4 km→✦Greatgate Whipping PostHistoric site2.2 km→✦Croxden AbbeyHistoric site2.8 km→

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