← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Castley Plantation

✦ Ancient woodland11 ha

📷 Roger Cornfoot · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsInsects

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome11 ha

Getting here

51.06727, -2.72020

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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
🅿️Parking 449m away — 2 car parks within reach

🌤️ 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
🅿️Parking 449m away — 2 car parks within reach

Good to know

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

Parking

Best for

8 activities

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 — Blackbird, House Sparrow, Starling +78 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Blackbird, House Sparrow, Starling +78 more · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Chalk and limestone grassland — chalkhill blue, adonis blue and rare moths; Insects — Common Carder Bee, White/Buff-tailed Bumblebee workers, Bumblebee +55 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Stinking Iris, Herb-Paris, Red Dead-nettle +6 more · last seen 2024

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Foraging

Good match

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby · 10 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Macmillan Way WestWalking route

Named routeRef MWWRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Route 26Cycling route

Named routeRef 26National Cycle Network

South Somerset CyclewayCycling route

Named routeRegional cycle route

Alternative RouteCycling route7.1 km

Named routeRef 26Length 7.1 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Wildlife to spot

34,951 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

34,951 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds2 species

summerautumn

2025

Buzzard · Grey Heron

BuzzardButeo buteo
Grey HeronArdea cinerea

🐝

Insects8 species

summer

2026

Scarce Chaser · White-legged Damselfly · Banded Demoiselle · Oedemera femoralis · Glow-worm +3

Scarce ChaserLibellula fulva2025
White-legged DamselflyPlatycnemis pennipes2025
Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens2025
Oedemera femoralisOedemera femoralis
Glow-wormLampyris noctiluca2025
Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenax2025
Norfolk AeshnaAeshna isoceles2025
Emperor DragonflyAnax imperator2025

🌿

Plants141 species

springsummer

2025

Greater Butterfly-orchid · Hedge Bedstraw · Red Fescue · Ivy · Perforate St John's-wort +136

Greater Butterfly-orchidPlatanthera chlorantha
Hedge BedstrawGalium album
Red FescueFestuca rubra
IvyHedera helix
Perforate St John's-wortHypericum perforatum
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
Rough Meadow-grassPoa trivialis
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
Creeping ButtercupRanunculus repens
False-bromeBrachypodium sylvaticum
Wood-sedgeCarex sylvatica
False Oat-grassArrhenatherum elatius
Rosa caninaRosa canina
Common RestharrowOnonis repens
SelfhealPrunella vulgaris
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
White CloverTrifolium repens
Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus
Wood DockRumex sanguineus
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
CowslipPrimula veris
Traveller's-joyClematis vitalba
Rough HawkbitLeontodon hispidus
Stinking IrisIris foetidissima
Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne
AgrimonyAgrimonia eupatoria
YarrowAchillea millefolium
Black BryonyTamus communis
Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare
CleaversGalium aparine
DandelionTaraxacum
Hairy St John's-wortHypericum hirsutum
Herb-RobertGeranium robertianum
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Lady's BedstrawGalium verum
Wild MadderRubia peregrina
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Creeping CinquefoilPotentilla reptans
Dog's MercuryMercurialis perennis
BrambleRubus fruticosus
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca
Wild PrivetLigustrum vulgare
Field Wood-rushLuzula campestris
Wall CotoneasterCotoneaster horizontalis
HollyhockAlcea rosea
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
PrimrosePrimula vulgaris
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
AshFraxinus excelsior
GorseUlex europaeus
Meadow ButtercupRanunculus acris
Hemp-agrimonyEupatorium cannabinum
Creeping BentAgrostis stolonifera
Crested Dog's-tailCynosurus cristatus
Common BentAgrostis capillaris
Marsh ThistleCirsium palustre
Wild CarrotDaucus carota subsp. carota
Wild AngelicaAngelica sylvestris
HazelCorylus avellana
Common GromwellLithospermum officinale
Black MedickMedicago lupulina
Purple-loosestrifeLythrum salicaria
Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum
Pendulous SedgeCarex pendula
HoneysuckleLonicera periclymenum
Quaking-grassBriza media
Creeping-JennyLysimachia nummularia
Narrow Buckler-fernDryopteris carthusiana
Common FleabanePulicaria dysenterica
Enchanter's-nightshadeCircaea lutetiana
Hairy VioletViola hirta
Wayfaring-treeViburnum lantana
BeechFagus sylvatica
BugleAjuga reptans
EyebrightEuphrasia
English ElmUlmus procera
Tall FescueSchedonorus arundinaceus
Great Wood-rushLuzula sylvatica
Devil's-bit ScabiousSuccisa pratensis
Smaller Cat's-tailPhleum bertolonii
Common RagwortJacobaea vulgaris
Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
Goat WillowSalix caprea
Bush VetchVicia sepium
Common NettleUrtica dioica
Hairy SedgeCarex hirta
Giant FescueSchedonorus giganteus
Field-roseRosa arvensis
SilverweedPotentilla anserina
Yellow-rattleRhinanthus minor
Red BartsiaOdontites vernus
Cut-leaved Crane's-billGeranium dissectum
Common Spotted-orchidDactylorhiza fuchsii
HawthornCrataegus monogyna
Corn MintMentha arvensis
Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum
Cat's-earHypochaeris radicata
SpindleEuonymus europaeus
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria
Fairy FlaxLinum catharticum
Field MapleAcer campestre
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
DogwoodCornus sanguinea
TimothyPhleum pratense
Common ValerianValeriana officinalis
Jointed RushJuncus articulatus
Pedunculate OakQuercus robur
Ground-ivyGlechoma hederacea
Barren StrawberryPotentilla sterilis
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Common KnapweedCentaurea nigra
Salad BurnetPoterium sanguisorba subsp. sanguisorba
Field Forget-me-notMyosotis arvensis
Common SorrelRumex acetosa
Bulbous ButtercupRanunculus bulbosus
Hoary RagwortJacobaea erucifolia
Wild MarjoramOriganum vulgare
Creeping ThistleCirsium arvense
Yellow-wortBlackstonia perfoliata
Beaked Hawk's-beardCrepis vesicaria
Ploughman's-spikenardInula conyzae
Parsley-piertAphanes arvensis
Small-flowered ButtercupRanunculus parviflorus
Woolly ThistleCirsium eriophorum
Hairy Bitter-cressCardamine hirsuta
Annual Meadow-grassPoa annua
Smooth Meadow-grassPoa pratensis
Dwarf ThistleCirsium acaule
Hoary PlantainPlantago media
Pastinaca sativa subsp. sylvestrisPastinaca sativa subsp. sylvestris
Spear ThistleCirsium vulgare
Rusty-Back FernAsplenium ceterach
Common MilkwortPolygala vulgaris
Common VetchVicia sativa
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Smooth Hawk's-beardCrepis capillaris
Small ScabiousScabiosa columbaria
Field BindweedConvolvulus arvensis
Thyme-leaved SpeedwellVeronica serpyllifolia
Meadow OatHelictochloa pratensis
Pyramidal OrchidAnacamptis pyramidalis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

34,951 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds2 species

summerautumn

2025

Buzzard · Grey Heron

BuzzardButeo buteo
Grey HeronArdea cinerea

🐝

Insects8 species

summer

2026

Scarce Chaser · White-legged Damselfly · Banded Demoiselle · Oedemera femoralis · Glow-worm +3

Scarce ChaserLibellula fulva2025
White-legged DamselflyPlatycnemis pennipes2025
Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens2025
Oedemera femoralisOedemera femoralis
Glow-wormLampyris noctiluca2025
Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenax2025
Norfolk AeshnaAeshna isoceles2025
Emperor DragonflyAnax imperator2025

🌿

Plants141 species

springsummer

2025

Greater Butterfly-orchid · Hedge Bedstraw · Red Fescue · Ivy · Perforate St John's-wort +136

Greater Butterfly-orchidPlatanthera chlorantha
Hedge BedstrawGalium album
Red FescueFestuca rubra
IvyHedera helix
Perforate St John's-wortHypericum perforatum
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
Rough Meadow-grassPoa trivialis
Red CloverTrifolium pratense
Creeping ButtercupRanunculus repens
False-bromeBrachypodium sylvaticum
Wood-sedgeCarex sylvatica
False Oat-grassArrhenatherum elatius
Rosa caninaRosa canina
Common RestharrowOnonis repens
SelfhealPrunella vulgaris
BlackthornPrunus spinosa
White CloverTrifolium repens
Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus
Wood DockRumex sanguineus
Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys
CowslipPrimula veris
Traveller's-joyClematis vitalba
Rough HawkbitLeontodon hispidus
Stinking IrisIris foetidissima
Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne
AgrimonyAgrimonia eupatoria
YarrowAchillea millefolium
Black BryonyTamus communis
Oxeye DaisyLeucanthemum vulgare
CleaversGalium aparine
DandelionTaraxacum
Hairy St John's-wortHypericum hirsutum
Herb-RobertGeranium robertianum
Cock's-footDactylis glomerata
Lady's BedstrawGalium verum
Wild MadderRubia peregrina
Common Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatus
Creeping CinquefoilPotentilla reptans
Dog's MercuryMercurialis perennis
BrambleRubus fruticosus
Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca
Wild PrivetLigustrum vulgare
Field Wood-rushLuzula campestris
Wall CotoneasterCotoneaster horizontalis
HollyhockAlcea rosea
Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
PrimrosePrimula vulgaris
Sweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratum
AshFraxinus excelsior
GorseUlex europaeus
Meadow ButtercupRanunculus acris
Hemp-agrimonyEupatorium cannabinum
Creeping BentAgrostis stolonifera
Crested Dog's-tailCynosurus cristatus
Common BentAgrostis capillaris
Marsh ThistleCirsium palustre
Wild CarrotDaucus carota subsp. carota
Wild AngelicaAngelica sylvestris
HazelCorylus avellana
Common GromwellLithospermum officinale
Black MedickMedicago lupulina
Purple-loosestrifeLythrum salicaria
Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum
Pendulous SedgeCarex pendula
HoneysuckleLonicera periclymenum
Quaking-grassBriza media
Creeping-JennyLysimachia nummularia
Narrow Buckler-fernDryopteris carthusiana
Common FleabanePulicaria dysenterica
Enchanter's-nightshadeCircaea lutetiana
Hairy VioletViola hirta
Wayfaring-treeViburnum lantana
BeechFagus sylvatica
BugleAjuga reptans
EyebrightEuphrasia
English ElmUlmus procera
Tall FescueSchedonorus arundinaceus
Great Wood-rushLuzula sylvatica
Devil's-bit ScabiousSuccisa pratensis
Smaller Cat's-tailPhleum bertolonii
Common RagwortJacobaea vulgaris
Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
Goat WillowSalix caprea
Bush VetchVicia sepium
Common NettleUrtica dioica
Hairy SedgeCarex hirta
Giant FescueSchedonorus giganteus
Field-roseRosa arvensis
SilverweedPotentilla anserina
Yellow-rattleRhinanthus minor
Red BartsiaOdontites vernus
Cut-leaved Crane's-billGeranium dissectum
Common Spotted-orchidDactylorhiza fuchsii
HawthornCrataegus monogyna
Corn MintMentha arvensis
Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum
Cat's-earHypochaeris radicata
SpindleEuonymus europaeus
MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria
Fairy FlaxLinum catharticum
Field MapleAcer campestre
HogweedHeracleum sphondylium
DogwoodCornus sanguinea
TimothyPhleum pratense
Common ValerianValeriana officinalis
Jointed RushJuncus articulatus
Pedunculate OakQuercus robur
Ground-ivyGlechoma hederacea
Barren StrawberryPotentilla sterilis
Common Dog-violetViola riviniana
Common KnapweedCentaurea nigra
Salad BurnetPoterium sanguisorba subsp. sanguisorba
Field Forget-me-notMyosotis arvensis
Common SorrelRumex acetosa
Bulbous ButtercupRanunculus bulbosus
Hoary RagwortJacobaea erucifolia
Wild MarjoramOriganum vulgare
Creeping ThistleCirsium arvense
Yellow-wortBlackstonia perfoliata
Beaked Hawk's-beardCrepis vesicaria
Ploughman's-spikenardInula conyzae
Parsley-piertAphanes arvensis
Small-flowered ButtercupRanunculus parviflorus
Woolly ThistleCirsium eriophorum
Hairy Bitter-cressCardamine hirsuta
Annual Meadow-grassPoa annua
Smooth Meadow-grassPoa pratensis
Dwarf ThistleCirsium acaule
Hoary PlantainPlantago media
Pastinaca sativa subsp. sylvestrisPastinaca sativa subsp. sylvestris
Spear ThistleCirsium vulgare
Rusty-Back FernAsplenium ceterach
Common MilkwortPolygala vulgaris
Common VetchVicia sativa
Meadow VetchlingLathyrus pratensis
Smooth Hawk's-beardCrepis capillaris
Small ScabiousScabiosa columbaria
Field BindweedConvolvulus arvensis
Thyme-leaved SpeedwellVeronica serpyllifolia
Meadow OatHelictochloa pratensis
Pyramidal OrchidAnacamptis pyramidalis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Roger Cornfoot · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Hurcot farmhouse

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Useful places within 5 km

⛪St Michael's ChurchReligious grounds1.5 km→🌱Stocks GreenUrban park5 km→✦Market CrossHistoric site1.6 km→✦Somerton Market CrossHistoric site1.6 km→✦Admiral Hood MonumentHistoric site3.8 km→⛪All Saints' ChurchReligious grounds4.3 km→

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