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Cottage Wood

✦ Ancient woodland11 ha

📷 Dave Spicer · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsForaging
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome11 ha

Getting here

50.95757, -0.03554

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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
  • 🌿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

Good to know

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

Best for

8 activities

Wildlife

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

Free

Bird watching

Birds — Blue Tit, Robin, Wren +64 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Blue Tit, Robin, Wren +64 more · last seen 2026

Free

Foraging

Plants — Common Nettle, Pedunculate Oak, Hazel +26 more foraging species; Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Seasonal nature

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Ground-ivy, Marsh Gentian, Common Nettle +229 more · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Insect spotting

Insects — Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper +16 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper +16 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

8 signed routes nearby · 25 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Sussex Ouse Valley WayWalking route67 km
Named routeLength 67 kmRegional walking route
Walk To Bluebell Railway, Sheffield ParkWalking route900 m
Named routeLength 900 mDuration 00:30Point-to-pointLocal walking route
Tolls Walk, Sheffield ParkWalking route2.2 km
Named routeLength 2.2 kmDuration 00:45Round tripLocal walking route
Earls Walk, Sheffield ParkWalking route3.4 km

The southern section of this trail (through Ironsgate Mead) seasonally floods, so an alternate dry route has been suggested.

Named routeLength 3.4 kmDuration 01:30Round tripLocal walking route
Greenwich Meridian TrailWalking route440 km

A long-distance walk that follows the line of the Prime Meridian. Inaugurated in 2009, to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the Greenwich Meridian.

Named routeRef GMTLength 440 kmRegional walking route
🚴

Cycling

4 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Rocky Lane Cycle PathCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Ditchling - Cooksbridge (ESCC Cycle Route 206)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Burgess Hill - Haywards Heath Eastern Cycle RouteCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
National Cycle Route 20 Crawley - Pyecombe (proposed)Cycling route
Named routeRef 20National Cycle Network

Wildlife to spot

Photos

A-maizeing path to Cottage Wood

📷 Dave Spicer · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

A-maizeing path to Cottage Wood

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🦉CHAILEY COMMONNature reserve1.8 km→🌱Ditchling Common Country ParkUrban park4.6 km→🌱Reedens MeadowsUrban park3.4 km→🏞️DITCHLING COMMONCountry park4.6 km→✦NEWICK PARKHistoric site4.1 km→⛪All Saints' ChurchReligious grounds3 km→

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