Cross dyke and linear boundary on Melbury Hill and Compton Down 3 ha
🦉 Wildlife✦ Heritage🦋 Insects
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Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 3 ha
Places › England › South West › Dorset Getting here
50.97664, -2.17476
Open directionsv ✦ Scheduled Ancient Monument — Nationally protected archaeological site on the National Heritage List for England (NHLE). Scheduled monuments represent the best surviving examples of England's irreplaceable archaeological heritage.
Cross dyke scheduled monument
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 ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting 🐕 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 ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting 🐕 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🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals
Free
Historic site with public access
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Chalk and limestone grassland — chalkhill blue, adonis blue and rare moths; Insects — Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small Heath +53 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Strong match
Birds — Woodpigeon, Skylark, Kestrel +38 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Woodpigeon, Skylark, Kestrel +38 more · last seen 2025
Free
Dogs allowed with public access
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 4 signed routes nearby · 8 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
Cranborne Droves Way Walking route ▾
The route of the Cranborne Droves Way walkers route between Win Green where it links with Wessex Ridgeway and Salisbury where it links with the Sarsen Way
Named route Regional walking route
Show on map Fontmell Down walk, Fontmell and Melbury Downs Walking route 1.6 km ▾
The down has open access, so you can explore the whole area. The well-used paths and tracks include steep slopes, with uneven surfaces which become muddy and slippery after wet weather.
Named route Length 1.6 km Duration 00:45 Round trip Local walking route
Show on map Melbury Beacon walk, Fontmell and Melbury Downs Walking route 3.7 km ▾
The down has open access, so you can explore the whole area. The well-used paths and tracks include steep slopes, with uneven surfaces that become muddy and slippery after wet weather. Dogs are welcome under close control, as livestock grazes the down.
Named route Length 3.7 km Duration 01:30 Round trip Local walking route
Show on map Wessex Ridgeway Walking route ▾
Named route Ref WR Regional walking route
Show on map 16 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Wiltshire Cycleway Cycling route 155 km ▾
Named route Ref WC Length 155 km Round trip Regional cycle route
Show on map Route 25 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 25 National Cycle Network
Show on map National Byway Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref NB Regional cycle route
Show on map North Dorset Cycle Way Cycling route ▾
Named route Regional cycle route
Show on map National Byway Dorset Loop Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref NB Loop Local cycle route
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 2.4 km ▾
Named route Ref 25 Length 2.4 km National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map 2 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Wessex Ridgeway Trail Mountain bike route ▾
Named route Listed length 207km
Show on map Cranborne Droves Way Trail Mountain bike route ▾
8 public paths nearby
Public paths
No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.
Photos Melbury Hill from Compton Down - geograph.org.uk - 358539
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Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
All Historic
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id: 6656314c-b415-4664-9c35-ee0b88d5cb9b
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
39,853 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 39,853 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 37 species
summer autumn
2025 ▾
Kestrel · Woodpigeon · Meadow Pipit · Skylark · Linnet +32
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Skylark Alauda arvensis Linnet Linaria cannabina Carrion Crow Corvus corone Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Stonechat Saxicola rubicola Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Rook Corvus frugilegus Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Goldcrest Regulus regulus Jay Garrulus glandarius Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Whitethroat Curruca communis Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Magpie Pica pica Robin Erithacus rubecula House Sparrow Passer domesticus Blackbird Turdus merula Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Herring Gull Larus argentatus Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Swallow Hirundo rustica Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Raven Corvus corax Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Lesser Whitethroat Curruca curruca Swift Apus apus Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Common Gull Larus canus Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus 🦌 Mammals 4 species
summer autumn
2025 ▾
Hazel Dormouse · Brown Hare · Roe Deer · Stoat
Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius Brown Hare Lepus europaeus Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus Stoat Mustela erminea Meadow Brown · Adonis Blue · Speckled Wood · Small White · Green-veined White +32
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina2024 Adonis Blue Polyommatus bellargus2024 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria2024 Small White Pieris rapae2024 Green-veined White Pieris napi2024 Common Blue Polyommatus icarus Snowdrop · daffodils
Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis daffodils Narcissus Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 39,853 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 37 species
summer autumn
2025 ▾
Kestrel · Woodpigeon · Meadow Pipit · Skylark · Linnet +32
Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Skylark Alauda arvensis Linnet Linaria cannabina Carrion Crow Corvus corone Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Stonechat Saxicola rubicola Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Rook Corvus frugilegus Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Goldcrest Regulus regulus Jay Garrulus glandarius Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Whitethroat Curruca communis Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Magpie Pica pica Robin Erithacus rubecula House Sparrow Passer domesticus Blackbird Turdus merula Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Herring Gull Larus argentatus Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Swallow Hirundo rustica Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Raven Corvus corax Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Lesser Whitethroat Curruca curruca Swift Apus apus Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Common Gull Larus canus Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus 🦌 Mammals 4 species
summer autumn
2025 ▾
Hazel Dormouse · Brown Hare · Roe Deer · Stoat
Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius Brown Hare Lepus europaeus Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus Stoat Mustela erminea Meadow Brown · Adonis Blue · Speckled Wood · Small White · Green-veined White +32
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina2024 Adonis Blue Polyommatus bellargus2024 Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria2024 Small White Pieris rapae2024 Green-veined White Pieris napi2024 Common Blue Polyommatus icarus Snowdrop · daffodils
Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis daffodils Narcissus Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
2024
2024
Large White Pieris brassicae2024
Large White Pieris brassicae2024
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus2024
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus2024
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta2024
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta2024
Hornet Robberfly Asilus crabroniformis2025
Hornet Robberfly Asilus crabroniformis2025
Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca2025
Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca2025
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas2024
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas2024
Brown Argus Aricia agestis2024
Brown Argus Aricia agestis2024
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus2024
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus2024
Pine Ladybird Exochomus quadripustulatus
Pine Ladybird Exochomus quadripustulatus
Hypera meles Hypera meles
Hypera meles Hypera meles
Grass Ant Myrmecina graminicola
Grass Ant Myrmecina graminicola
Trichopsocus brincki Trichopsocus brincki
Trichopsocus brincki Trichopsocus brincki
Anthicus antherinus Anthicus antherinus
Anthicus antherinus Anthicus antherinus
Cymus claviculus Cymus claviculus
Cymus claviculus Cymus claviculus
Aphanisticus pusillus Aphanisticus pusillus
Aphanisticus pusillus Aphanisticus pusillus
Sibinia primita Sibinia primita
Sibinia primita Sibinia primita
Yellow Meadow Ant Lasius flavus
Yellow Meadow Ant Lasius flavus
Myrmica sabuleti Myrmica sabuleti
Myrmica sabuleti Myrmica sabuleti
Field Damsel Bug Nabis (Nabis) ferus
Field Damsel Bug Nabis (Nabis) ferus
Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea2025
Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea2025
Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum2025
Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum2025
Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo2025
Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo2025
Cheilosia illustrata Cheilosia illustrata2025
Cheilosia illustrata Cheilosia illustrata2025
Field Maple Disc-miner Heterarthrus wuestneii2025
Field Maple Disc-miner Heterarthrus wuestneii2025
Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa2025
Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa2025
Asaphidion stierlini Asaphidion stierlini2025
Asaphidion stierlini Asaphidion stierlini2025
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui2024
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui2024
Ivy Bee Colletes hederae2024
Ivy Bee Colletes hederae2024
Comma Polygonia c-album2024
Comma Polygonia c-album2024
Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni2024
Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni2024
Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae2024
Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae2024 Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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