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← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Cowdray Forest

✦ Ancient woodland161 ha

📷 Robin Webster · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeWalksDogs
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome161 ha

Getting here

51.08353, -0.15165

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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
  • 🥾Walking is best here in early morning in summer — quiet trails and good light before the heat
  • 🐕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
  • 🌳Large woodland — room to roam
Parking

Best for

12 activities

Wildlife

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

Free

Forest walks

1 marked walking trail(s)

Free

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — woodland with marked walking trails

Free

Horse riding

1 horse riding trail(s)

Varies

Bird watching

Birds — Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird +71 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird +71 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Flagellate Feather-moss, Juicy Silk-moss, Common Tamarisk-moss +99 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

8 signed routes nearby · 9 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Crawley GreenwayWalking route

walking route around Crawley along many leafy paths, signposted

Named routeLocal walking route
Sussex Ouse Valley WayWalking route67 km
Named routeLength 67 kmRegional walking route
Worth WayWalking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Accessible Route, NymansWalking route1.2 km

Nurtured for nearly 130 years, the garden features an internationally important plant collection containing species from around the world.

Named routeLength 1.2 kmRound tripLocal walking route
Iron Walk, NymansWalking route3.5 km
Named routeLength 3.5 kmDuration 01:00Round tripLocal walking route
🚴

Cycling

119 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Route KCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route J (incomplete)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route JCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route F (incomplete)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route DCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route ACycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby
Tilgate Forest SingletrackMountain bike route
Named route
🐴

Horse riding

19 public paths nearby

Public paths
Whitely Hillbridleway · 8 m
Public pathbridlewayLength 8 mSurface asphaltPath type: service
Whitely Hillbridleway · 691 m
Public pathbridlewayLength 691 mSurface asphaltPath type: track

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Old pollard, Cowdray Forest

📷 Robin Webster · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Old pollard, Cowdray Forest

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Weather for this location

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🏞️TILGATE PARKCountry park2.3 km→🌱Tilgate ParkUrban park2.2 km→🌱Waterlea MeadowUrban park3 km→🌱Tilgate ParkUrban park2.3 km→🌱Alf Pegler walled gardenUrban park2.4 km→🌱Maidenbower ParkUrban park2.4 km→

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Nearby reservoirs

💧

New Pond

South of Tilgate Forest

Medium2.0 km→

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