← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Dark Plantation

13 ha

📷 Geographer · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsInsects

Free entryDogs welcome13 ha

Getting here

52.74294, 1.23272

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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

🌤️ 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

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Parking· Free

Best for

6 activities

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 — Carrion Crow, Kestrel, Linnet +76 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Carrion Crow, Kestrel, Linnet +76 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Silver-studded Blue, Bog Bush-cricket, Common Darter +67 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Silver-studded Blue, Bog Bush-cricket, Common Darter +67 more · last seen 2026

Free

Foraging

Good match

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Petty Whin, Ragged-Robin, Lesser Spearwort +9 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Petty Whin, Ragged-Robin, Lesser Spearwort +9 more · last seen 2026

Free

Forest walks

Moderate match

Public woodland

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

9 signed routes nearby · 4 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Themelthorpe LoopWalking route12.5 km

Named routeLength 12.5 kmRound tripLocal walking route

Cawston CircularWalking route4.5 km

Named routeLength 4.5 kmRound tripLocal walking route

Aylsham Town CircularWalking route7 km

Named routeLength 7 kmRound tripLocal walking route

Bure Valley Short LoopWalking route1 km

Named routeLength 1 kmRound tripLocal walking route

Oxnead CircularWalking route2.5 km

Oxnead: Visual Vistas / A circular 2.5 mile walk through magical broadland countryside and beside a beautiful stretch of the River Bure, where kingfishers and barn owls can be seen.

Named routeLength 2.5 kmRound tripLocal walking route

🚴

Cycling

10 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

EuroVelo 12 - North Sea Cycle Route - part United Kingdom 2Cycling route

Norwich - Lincoln

Named routeRef EV12International cycle route

NCN National Route 1Cycling route

Named routeRef 1National Cycle Network

Marriott's WayCycling route

Named routeRef MWLocal cycle route

Bure Valley PathCycling route

Named routeRef BVPLocal cycle route

Rebellion WayCycling route373 km

Named routeRef RebelLength 373 kmRound tripRegional cycle route

Themelthorpe Cycle LoopCycling route13.5 km

Named routeLength 13.5 kmRound tripLocal cycle route

Wildlife to spot

9,034 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

9,034 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds44 species

autumn

2026

Carrion Crow · Redwing · Goldcrest · Kestrel · Stonechat +39

Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
Great TitParus major2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
GadwallMareca strepera
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
BramblingFringilla montifringilla2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025

🦎

Reptiles2 species

autumn

2025

Slow-worm · Common Lizard

Slow-wormAnguis fragilis
Common LizardZootoca vivipara

🐝

Insects15 species

autumn

2026

Bog Bush-cricket · Common Ground-hopper · Minotaur Beetle · Field Grasshopper · Long-winged Cone-head +10

Bog Bush-cricketMetrioptera brachyptera2025
Common Ground-hopperTetrix undulata2025
Minotaur BeetleTyphaeus typhoeus
Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus2025
Long-winged Cone-headConocephalus fuscus2025
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum

🌿

Plants7 species

autumn

2026

Petty Whin · Ragged-Robin · Lesser Spearwort · Marsh Clubmoss · Grass-of-Parnassus +2

Petty WhinGenista anglica
Ragged-RobinSilene flos-cuculi2025
Lesser SpearwortRanunculus flammula2025
Marsh ClubmossLycopodiella inundata2025
Grass-of-ParnassusParnassia palustris2025
Black NightshadeSolanum nigrum

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

9,034 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds44 species

autumn

2026

Carrion Crow · Redwing · Goldcrest · Kestrel · Stonechat +39

Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
Great TitParus major2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2025
GadwallMareca strepera
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
BramblingFringilla montifringilla2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025

🦎

Reptiles2 species

autumn

2025

Slow-worm · Common Lizard

Slow-wormAnguis fragilis
Common LizardZootoca vivipara

🐝

Insects15 species

autumn

2026

Bog Bush-cricket · Common Ground-hopper · Minotaur Beetle · Field Grasshopper · Long-winged Cone-head +10

Bog Bush-cricketMetrioptera brachyptera2025
Common Ground-hopperTetrix undulata2025
Minotaur BeetleTyphaeus typhoeus
Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus2025
Long-winged Cone-headConocephalus fuscus2025
Common DarterSympetrum striolatum

🌿

Plants7 species

autumn

2026

Petty Whin · Ragged-Robin · Lesser Spearwort · Marsh Clubmoss · Grass-of-Parnassus +2

Petty WhinGenista anglica
Ragged-RobinSilene flos-cuculi2025
Lesser SpearwortRanunculus flammula2025
Marsh ClubmossLycopodiella inundata2025
Grass-of-ParnassusParnassia palustris2025
Black NightshadeSolanum nigrum

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Geographer · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

The Heath approaching The Turn

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦Roman settlement at BramptonHistoric site4.6 km→🌱Broadland Country ParkUrban park3.8 km→⛪St Margaret's ChurchReligious grounds3.9 km→🐄Redwings AylshamVisitor farm4.6 km→✦Round barrow N of Sandy LaneHistoric site4.6 km→⛪St Peter's ChurchReligious grounds3.2 km→

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