Chester Wood ✦ Ancient woodland 15 ha
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🍂 Seasonal
↑ Share
Free entry Dogs welcome 15 ha
Places › England › South East › Rother Getting here
50.96700, 0.60092
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 🌿 Foraging is at its best in summer here 🐕 Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🌿 Foraging is at its best in summer here 🐕 Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days £ 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 — Tawny Owl, Goldfinch, Herring Gull +52 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Tawny Owl, Goldfinch, Herring Gull +52 more · last seen 2025
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Bluebell, Early-purple Orchid, Common Cow-wheat +10 more · last seen 2025
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Gatekeeper, Large Red Damselfly, Peacock +282 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Gatekeeper, Large Red Damselfly, Peacock +282 more · last seen 2025
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Ancient woodland — historic landscape
Free
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 3 signed routes nearby · 6 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
Sussex Border Path Walking route 220 km ▾
Named route Length 220 km Regional walking route
Show on map High Weald Landscape Trail Walking route ▾
Named route Ref HWLT Listed length 145km Regional walking route
Show on map 1066 Country Walk Walking route 50 km ▾
Named route Length 50 km Regional walking route
Show on map ✦ Ancient woodland — continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD. A rare and irreplaceable habitat, rich in biodiversity and historical character.
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
All Historic
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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
2,683 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 2,683 records · National Biodiversity Network Tawny Owl · Goldfinch · Swallow · Herring Gull · Willow Warbler +24
Tawny Owl Strix aluco Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Swallow Hirundo rustica Herring Gull Larus argentatus Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Stock Dove Columba oenas Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Blackbird Turdus merula Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii Carrion Crow Corvus corone Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Linnet Linaria cannabina Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Little Egret Egretta garzetta Great Tit Parus major Magpie Pica pica Jackdaw Coloeus monedula House Sparrow Passer domesticus Starling Sturnus vulgaris Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Raven Corvus corax Siskin Spinus spinus2024 Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus2024 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2023 Hedgehog · Fallow Deer · Hazel Dormouse · Red Fox · Grey Squirrel +3
Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus2023 Fallow Deer Dama dama Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius2024 Red Fox Vulpes vulpes Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Polecat-Ferret Slow-worm · Grass Snake · Common Lizard
Slow-worm Anguis fragilis Grass Snake Natrix helvetica Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara 🐸 Amphibians 6 species
winter
2026 ▾
Common Frog · Common Toad · Palmate Newt · Great Crested Newt · Smooth Newt +1
Common Frog Rana temporaria Common Toad Bufo bufo Palmate Newt Lissotriton helveticus Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris frogs and toads Anura2025 🐝 Insects 28 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Azure Damselfly · Emperor Dragonfly · Large Red Damselfly · Broad-bodied Chaser · Common Darter +23
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca 🌿 Plants 7 species
spring summer autumn
2025 ▾
Early-purple Orchid · Common Cow-wheat · Fox-and-cubs · Common Centaury · Heath Speedwell +2
Early-purple Orchid Orchis mascula2023 Common Cow-wheat Melampyrum pratense2024 Fox-and-cubs Pilosella aurantiaca2023 Common Centaury Centaurium erythraea2023 Heath Speedwell Veronica officinalis Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 2,683 records · National Biodiversity Network Tawny Owl · Goldfinch · Swallow · Herring Gull · Willow Warbler +24
Tawny Owl Strix aluco Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Swallow Hirundo rustica Herring Gull Larus argentatus Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Stock Dove Columba oenas Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Blackbird Turdus merula Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii Carrion Crow Corvus corone Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Linnet Linaria cannabina Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Little Egret Egretta garzetta Great Tit Parus major Magpie Pica pica Jackdaw Coloeus monedula House Sparrow Passer domesticus Starling Sturnus vulgaris Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Raven Corvus corax Siskin Spinus spinus2024 Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus2024 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2023 Hedgehog · Fallow Deer · Hazel Dormouse · Red Fox · Grey Squirrel +3
Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus2023 Fallow Deer Dama dama Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius2024 Red Fox Vulpes vulpes Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Polecat-Ferret Slow-worm · Grass Snake · Common Lizard
Slow-worm Anguis fragilis Grass Snake Natrix helvetica Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara 🐸 Amphibians 6 species
winter
2026 ▾
Common Frog · Common Toad · Palmate Newt · Great Crested Newt · Smooth Newt +1
Common Frog Rana temporaria Common Toad Bufo bufo Palmate Newt Lissotriton helveticus Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris frogs and toads Anura2025 🐝 Insects 28 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Azure Damselfly · Emperor Dragonfly · Large Red Damselfly · Broad-bodied Chaser · Common Darter +23
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca 🌿 Plants 7 species
spring summer autumn
2025 ▾
Early-purple Orchid · Common Cow-wheat · Fox-and-cubs · Common Centaury · Heath Speedwell +2
Early-purple Orchid Orchis mascula2023 Common Cow-wheat Melampyrum pratense2024 Fox-and-cubs Pilosella aurantiaca2023 Common Centaury Centaurium erythraea2023 Heath Speedwell Veronica officinalis Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Mustela furo x putorius2024
Mustela furo x putorius2024
Water Shrew Neomys fodiens2023
Water Shrew Neomys fodiens2023 Four-spotted Chaser
Four-spotted Chaser
Libellula quadrimaculata
Libellula quadrimaculata
Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta2024
Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta2024
Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo2023
Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo2023
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea
Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea
Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus2024
Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus2024
Willow Emerald Damselfly Chalcolestes viridis2023
Willow Emerald Damselfly Chalcolestes viridis2023
Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis
Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis
Golden-ringed Dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii
Golden-ringed Dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii
Roesel's Bush-cricket Roeseliana roeselii
Roesel's Bush-cricket Roeseliana roeselii
White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes
White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Wool Carder Bee Anthidium manicatum2024
Wool Carder Bee Anthidium manicatum2024
Minotaur Beetle Typhaeus typhoeus2024
Minotaur Beetle Typhaeus typhoeus2024
Small Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma viridulum2023
Small Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma viridulum2023
Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens2023
Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens2023
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum2023
Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum2023
Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum2023
Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum2023
Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa2023
Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa2023
Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas2023
Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma najas2023
Hornet Vespa crabro2023
Hornet Vespa crabro2023
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis2023
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis2023
Corn Mint Mentha arvensis2024
Corn Mint Mentha arvensis2024
Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis2023
Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis2023 