← Back🌲 Conifer forest

Captain's Gorse

1 ha

📷 Ian Calderwood · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

BirdsWildlifeInsects

Free entryDogs welcome1 ha

Getting here

52.84003, -1.37051

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦89+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Black-headed Gull and Woodpigeon
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦89+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Black-headed Gull and Woodpigeon
🐕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

Parking

Best for

5 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow +86 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow +86 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — 10-spot Ladybird, 16-spot Ladybird, Black Clock +6 more · last seen 2025; Insects — 10-spot Ladybird, 16-spot Ladybird, Black Clock +6 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Wild Teasel, Lords-and-Ladies, Arrowhead +3 more · last seen 2025; Plants — Wild Teasel, Lords-and-Ladies, Arrowhead +3 more · last seen 2025

Free

Forest walks

Moderate match

Public woodland

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

5 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Midshires WayWalking route370 km

Multi-use trail links the Ridgeway National Trail with the Trans Pennine Trail

Named routeLength 370 kmRegional walking route

Derby Nomad WayWalking route79 km

Named routeLength 79 kmRegional walking route

Derwent Valley Heritage WayWalking route89 km

Named routeLength 89 kmRegional walking route

Trent Valley WayWalking route304 km

Named routeLength 304 kmPoint-to-pointRegional walking route

Ivanhoe WayWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

45 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Cloud Trail GreenwayCycling route

Named routeRef Cloud Trail GreenwayLocal cycle route

Derby Orbital Route 66Cycling route

Named routeRef 66Regional cycle route

Route 15Cycling route

Named routeRef 15National Cycle Network

East Midlands AirportCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Route 67Cycling route

Named routeRef 67National Cycle Network

Route 6Cycling route

Named routeRef 6National Cycle Network

Wildlife to spot

7,733 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

7,733 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds93 species

summerwinter

2026

Woodpigeon · Black-headed Gull · Carrion Crow · Jackdaw · Blackbird +88

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
JackdawColoeus monedula
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Great TitParus major2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Green SandpiperTringa ochropus2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava2025
Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus2025
SwiftApus apus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2025
Red KiteMilvus milvus2025
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus2025
Mandarin DuckAix galericulata2025
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis2025
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2024
Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus2024
SiskinSpinus spinus2024
Common TernSterna hirundo2024

🦌

Mammals2 species

summerautumn

2025

Water Shrew · Mole

Water ShrewNeomys fodiens2024
MoleTalpa europaea

🐝

Insects9 species

summer

2025

10-spot Ladybird · 16-spot Ladybird · Black Clock · Red-headed Cardinal Beetle · Cantharis lateralis +4

10-spot LadybirdAdalia decempunctata
16-spot LadybirdTytthaspis sedecimpunctata
Black ClockPterostichus madidus
Red-headed Cardinal BeetlePyrochroa serraticornis
Cantharis lateralisCantharis lateralis
Sitona obsoletusSitona obsoletus
Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenax
Cercopis vulnerataCercopis vulnerata
Violet Ground BeetleCarabus violaceus2024

🌿

Plants6 species

winter

2025

Wild Teasel · Lords-and-Ladies · Arrowhead · Hard Rush · Hazel +1

Wild TeaselDipsacus fullonum
Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum
ArrowheadSagittaria sagittifolia
Hard RushJuncus inflexus
HazelCorylus avellana
Lesser BurdockArctium minus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

7,733 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds93 species

summerwinter

2026

Woodpigeon · Black-headed Gull · Carrion Crow · Jackdaw · Blackbird +88

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
JackdawColoeus monedula
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Great TitParus major2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025
Sedge WarblerAcrocephalus schoenobaenus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Green SandpiperTringa ochropus2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava2025
Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus2025
SwiftApus apus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2025
Water RailRallus aquaticus2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2025
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2025
Red KiteMilvus milvus2025
Garden WarblerSylvia borin2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Ring OuzelTurdus torquatus2025
Mandarin DuckAix galericulata2025
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsis2025
Jack SnipeLymnocryptes minimus2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2024
Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus2024
SiskinSpinus spinus2024
Common TernSterna hirundo2024

🦌

Mammals2 species

summerautumn

2025

Water Shrew · Mole

Water ShrewNeomys fodiens2024
MoleTalpa europaea

🐝

Insects9 species

summer

2025

10-spot Ladybird · 16-spot Ladybird · Black Clock · Red-headed Cardinal Beetle · Cantharis lateralis +4

10-spot LadybirdAdalia decempunctata
16-spot LadybirdTytthaspis sedecimpunctata
Black ClockPterostichus madidus
Red-headed Cardinal BeetlePyrochroa serraticornis
Cantharis lateralisCantharis lateralis
Sitona obsoletusSitona obsoletus
Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenax
Cercopis vulnerataCercopis vulnerata
Violet Ground BeetleCarabus violaceus2024

🌿

Plants6 species

winter

2025

Wild Teasel · Lords-and-Ladies · Arrowhead · Hard Rush · Hazel +1

Wild TeaselDipsacus fullonum
Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum
ArrowheadSagittaria sagittifolia
Hard RushJuncus inflexus
HazelCorylus avellana
Lesser BurdockArctium minus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Ian Calderwood · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Captain's Gorse

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦MELBOURNE HALLHistoric site4.1 km→🌱The GreenUrban park2.3 km→🌱Bentley Road ParkUrban park1.5 km→✦Melbourne HallHistoric site4.1 km→⛪Sunday School ChurchReligious grounds4.3 km→🌱Highfields HedgesUrban park4.7 km→

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