Crays Wood ✦ Ancient woodland 38 ha
Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🍂 Seasonal
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 38 ha
Places › England › Eastern › Chelmsford Getting here
51.62719, 0.45352
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 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 🅿️ Parking on site — 10 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 on site — 10 car parks within reach £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🌿 Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals, Reptiles
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird +62 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird +62 more · last seen 2025
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Greater Stitchwort, Garlic Mustard, White Dead-nettle +3 more · last seen 2024
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — 14-spot Ladybird, Syrphus, Speckled Bush-cricket +169 more · last seen 2025; Insects — 14-spot Ladybird, Syrphus, Speckled Bush-cricket +169 more · last seen 2025
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 1 signed route nearby · 7 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
St Peter's Way Walking route 66 km ▾
Named route Length 66 km Regional walking route
Show on map Break Egg Hill public footpath · 443 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 443 m Path type: service
Show on map 25 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
NCN National Route 13 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 13 National Cycle Network
Show on map NCN National Route 13 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 13 National Cycle Network
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 123 m ▾
Named route Ref 13 Length 123 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 35 m ▾
Named route Ref 13 Length 35 m National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 364 m ▾
Named route Ref 13 Length 364 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 377 m ▾
Named route Ref 13 Length 377 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map 9 public paths nearby
Public paths
Ramsden Park Road bridleway · 43 m ▾
Public path bridleway Length 43 m Path type: service
Show on map Park Lane bridleway · 204 m ▾
Public path bridleway Length 204 m Path type: service
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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id: 1079f63d-9cb0-4883-871d-481279ef43e1
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
Wildlife to spot
6,103 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 6,103 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 48 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Robin · Woodpigeon · Wren · Blackbird · Blue Tit +43
Robin Erithacus rubecula Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Blackbird Turdus merula Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Magpie Pica pica Jay Garrulus glandarius Nuthatch Sitta europaea Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Carrion Crow Corvus corone Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Great Tit Parus major Stock Dove Columba oenas Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Goldcrest Regulus regulus Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Tawny Owl Strix aluco Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Starling Sturnus vulgaris Swallow Hirundo rustica Greenfinch Chloris chloris House Martin Delichon urbicum Whitethroat Curruca communis Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Dunnock Prunella modularis House Sparrow Passer domesticus Skylark Alauda arvensis Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Swift Apus apus Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus Canada Goose Branta canadensis Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Linnet Linaria cannabina Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis 🦌 Mammals 2 species
spring summer autumn
2025 ▾
Hazel Dormouse · Grey Squirrel
Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis 🦎 Reptiles 1 species
summer autumn
2025 ▾
Slow-worm
Syrphus · 14-spot Ladybird · Helophilus pendulus · Speckled Bush-cricket · Bibio +18
Syrphus Syrphus 14-spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus Speckled Bush-cricket Leptophyes punctatissima Bibio Bibio Minotaur Beetle Typhaeus typhoeus Abax parallelepipedus Abax parallelepipedus Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 6,103 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 48 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Robin · Woodpigeon · Wren · Blackbird · Blue Tit +43
Robin Erithacus rubecula Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Blackbird Turdus merula Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Magpie Pica pica Jay Garrulus glandarius Nuthatch Sitta europaea Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Carrion Crow Corvus corone Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Great Tit Parus major Stock Dove Columba oenas Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Goldcrest Regulus regulus Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Tawny Owl Strix aluco Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Starling Sturnus vulgaris Swallow Hirundo rustica Greenfinch Chloris chloris House Martin Delichon urbicum Whitethroat Curruca communis Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Dunnock Prunella modularis House Sparrow Passer domesticus Skylark Alauda arvensis Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Swift Apus apus Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus Canada Goose Branta canadensis Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Linnet Linaria cannabina Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis 🦌 Mammals 2 species
spring summer autumn
2025 ▾
Hazel Dormouse · Grey Squirrel
Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis 🦎 Reptiles 1 species
summer autumn
2025 ▾
Slow-worm
Syrphus · 14-spot Ladybird · Helophilus pendulus · Speckled Bush-cricket · Bibio +18
Syrphus Syrphus 14-spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus Speckled Bush-cricket Leptophyes punctatissima Bibio Bibio Minotaur Beetle Typhaeus typhoeus Abax parallelepipedus Abax parallelepipedus Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Acorn Weevil Curculio glandium
Acorn Weevil Curculio glandium
Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata
Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata
Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
Black Snipefly Chrysopilus cristatus
Dock Bug Coreus marginatus
Dock Bug Coreus marginatus
Baccha elongata Baccha elongata
Baccha elongata Baccha elongata
Eristalis pertinax Eristalis pertinax
Eristalis pertinax Eristalis pertinax
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum
Eupeodes corollae Eupeodes corollae
Eupeodes corollae Eupeodes corollae
Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina
Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina
Dark Bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera
Dark Bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera
Green Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus
Green Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus
Curculio venosus Curculio venosus
Curculio venosus Curculio venosus
Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea
Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea
Athous haemorrhoidalis Athous haemorrhoidalis
Athous haemorrhoidalis Athous haemorrhoidalis Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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