Down Plantation
✦ Ancient woodland13 ha
Plan your visit
🦉Wildlife🦅Birds🌿Foraging
Free entryDogs welcome13 ha
Getting here
50.87625, -3.96815
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
- 🌿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
- £Free to visit — no entry charge
- 🐕Dogs welcome
- 🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat
🦉Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals
Free
🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Chaffinch +68 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Chaffinch +68 more · last seen 2025
Free
Plants — Bramble, Dandelion, Black Currant +15 more foraging species; Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
🍂Seasonal nature
Strong match
Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Marsh Thistle, Wild Angelica, Pignut +122 more · last seen 2024
Free
🦋Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Peacock +93 more · last seen 2021; Insects — Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Peacock +93 more · last seen 2021
Free
Ancient woodland — historic landscape
Free
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km1 signed route nearby
Signed route nearby
Tarka TrailWalking route▾
Named routeRef TTRegional walking route
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
Own or manage this place?
Claim this listing to keep details accurate, add photos, and highlight what makes it special — free.
Claim this page→How useful was the information on this page?
id: c77a8b2b-5c6b-4e9b-9e01-269bfb9ed724
Wildlife to spot
1,688 records · National Biodiversity Network
Wildlife to spot
1,688 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds37 species
winterspring
2025▾
Barn Owl · Chaffinch · Song Thrush · Kestrel · Swallow +32
- Barn OwlTyto alba2024
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2021
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2021
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
- SwallowHirundo rustica2021
- MagpiePica pica2021
- RookCorvus frugilegus2021
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2021
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2021
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone2021
- BlackbirdTurdus merula2021
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2021
- JackdawColoeus monedula2021
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2021
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2020
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2020
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2020
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2020
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- SwiftApus apus2021
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2021
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris2021
- House SparrowPasser domesticus2021
- Stock DoveColumba oenas2021
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus2021
- Great TitParus major2021
- RedwingTurdus iliacus2021
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris2021
- DunnockPrunella modularis2021
- Coal TitPeriparus ater2021
- Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2020
- StonechatSaxicola rubicola2020
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis2020
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2020
- RobinErithacus rubecula2020
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2020
🦌Mammals6 species
winterspringsummer
2024▾
Hazel Dormouse · Lesser Horseshoe Bat · Greater Horseshoe Bat · Common Pipistrelle · Hedgehog +1
- Hazel DormouseMuscardinus avellanarius
- Lesser Horseshoe BatRhinolophus hipposideros2022
- Greater Horseshoe BatRhinolophus ferrumequinum2023
- Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2023
- HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
Meadow Brown · Gatekeeper · Small White · Peacock · Red Admiral +18
- Meadow BrownManiola jurtina2019
- GatekeeperPyronia tithonus2019
- Small WhitePieris rapae2019
- PeacockAglais io2019
- Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta2019
- Holly BlueCelastrina argiolus
Bog Pimpernel · Marsh Pennywort · Marsh Thistle · Wild Angelica · Hemp-agrimony +55
- Bog PimpernelLysimachia tenella
- Marsh PennywortHydrocotyle vulgaris
- Marsh ThistleCirsium palustre
- Wild AngelicaAngelica sylvestris2022
- Hemp-agrimonyEupatorium cannabinum
- PignutConopodium majus
- Star Sedge
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot
1,688 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds37 species
winterspring
2025▾
Barn Owl · Chaffinch · Song Thrush · Kestrel · Swallow +32
- Barn OwlTyto alba2024
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2021
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2021
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus2024
- SwallowHirundo rustica2021
- MagpiePica pica2021
- RookCorvus frugilegus2021
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2021
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2021
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone2021
- BlackbirdTurdus merula2021
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2021
- JackdawColoeus monedula2021
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2021
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2020
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2020
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2020
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2020
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- KingfisherAlcedo atthis
- SwiftApus apus2021
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2021
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris2021
- House SparrowPasser domesticus2021
- Stock DoveColumba oenas2021
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus2021
- Great TitParus major2021
- RedwingTurdus iliacus2021
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris2021
- DunnockPrunella modularis2021
- Coal TitPeriparus ater2021
- Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2020
- StonechatSaxicola rubicola2020
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis2020
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2020
- RobinErithacus rubecula2020
- Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2020
🦌Mammals6 species
winterspringsummer
2024▾
Hazel Dormouse · Lesser Horseshoe Bat · Greater Horseshoe Bat · Common Pipistrelle · Hedgehog +1
- Hazel DormouseMuscardinus avellanarius
- Lesser Horseshoe BatRhinolophus hipposideros2022
- Greater Horseshoe BatRhinolophus ferrumequinum2023
- Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2023
- HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
Meadow Brown · Gatekeeper · Small White · Peacock · Red Admiral +18
- Meadow BrownManiola jurtina2019
- GatekeeperPyronia tithonus2019
- Small WhitePieris rapae2019
- PeacockAglais io2019
- Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta2019
- Holly BlueCelastrina argiolus
Bog Pimpernel · Marsh Pennywort · Marsh Thistle · Wild Angelica · Hemp-agrimony +55
- Bog PimpernelLysimachia tenella
- Marsh PennywortHydrocotyle vulgaris
- Marsh ThistleCirsium palustre
- Wild AngelicaAngelica sylvestris2022
- Hemp-agrimonyEupatorium cannabinum
- PignutConopodium majus
- Star Sedge
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
2023
2023
StoatMustela erminea2018StoatMustela erminea20182019
2019
Large WhitePieris brassicae2019Large WhitePieris brassicae2019Green-veined WhitePieris napi2019Green-veined WhitePieris napi2019Silver-washed FritillaryArgynnis paphia2019Silver-washed FritillaryArgynnis paphia2019CommaPolygonia c-album2019CommaPolygonia c-album2019RingletAphantopus hyperantus2019RingletAphantopus hyperantus2019Common BluePolyommatus icarus2018Common BluePolyommatus icarus2018BrimstoneGonepteryx rhamni2017BrimstoneGonepteryx rhamni2017Ctenicera cupreaCtenicera cupreaCtenicera cupreaCtenicera cupreaSmall SkipperThymelicus sylvestris2019Small SkipperThymelicus sylvestris2019Small CopperLycaena phlaeas2019Small CopperLycaena phlaeas2019CinnabarTyria jacobaeae2019CinnabarTyria jacobaeae2019Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae2019Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae2019Cuckoo-Spit InsectPhilaenus spumarius2019Cuckoo-Spit InsectPhilaenus spumarius2019Painted LadyVanessa cardui2018Painted LadyVanessa cardui2018Speckled WoodPararge aegeria2018Speckled WoodPararge aegeria2018Humming-bird Hawk-mothMacroglossum stellatarum2017Humming-bird Hawk-mothMacroglossum stellatarum2017Marbled WhiteMelanargia galathea2017Marbled WhiteMelanargia galathea2017Carex echinata
Carex echinata
Cow-horn Bog-mossSphagnum auriculatumCow-horn Bog-mossSphagnum auriculatumGlaucous SedgeCarex flacca2023Glaucous SedgeCarex flacca2023Marsh VioletViola palustris2023Marsh VioletViola palustris2023Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. ericetorumDactylorhiza maculata subsp. ericetorum2023Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. ericetorumDactylorhiza maculata subsp. ericetorum2023Water-StarwortCallitriche2023Water-StarwortCallitriche2023Bog PondweedPotamogeton polygonifolius2023Bog PondweedPotamogeton polygonifolius2023Broad Buckler-fernDryopteris dilatata2022Broad Buckler-fernDryopteris dilatata2022Blunt-leaved Bog-mossSphagnum palustre2022Blunt-leaved Bog-mossSphagnum palustre2022Cross-leaved HeathErica tetralix2022Cross-leaved HeathErica tetralix2022HeatherCalluna vulgaris2022HeatherCalluna vulgaris2022Marsh-bedstrawGalium palustre2022Marsh-bedstrawGalium palustre2022Umbellate HawkweedHieracium umbellatum2018Umbellate HawkweedHieracium umbellatum2018CuckooflowerCardamine pratensis2017CuckooflowerCardamine pratensis2017Common ScurvygrassCochlearia officinalis2017Common ScurvygrassCochlearia officinalis2017Wood-sedgeCarex sylvatica2017Wood-sedgeCarex sylvatica2017Ivy-leaved SpeedwellVeronica hederifolia2017Ivy-leaved SpeedwellVeronica hederifolia2017DandelionTaraxacum2017DandelionTaraxacum2017Reed Canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea2017Reed Canary-grassPhalaris arundinacea2017Soft Shield-fernPolystichum setiferum2017Soft Shield-fernPolystichum setiferum2017Traveller's-joyClematis vitalba2017Traveller's-joyClematis vitalba2017Yellow IrisIris pseudacorus2017Yellow IrisIris pseudacorus2017BrambleRubus fruticosus2017BrambleRubus fruticosus2017Pendulous SedgeCarex pendula2017Pendulous SedgeCarex pendula2017GooseberryRibes uva-crispa2017GooseberryRibes uva-crispa2017Norway SprucePicea abies2017Norway SprucePicea abies2017Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrageChrysosplenium oppositifolium2017Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrageChrysosplenium oppositifolium2017Hard-fernBlechnum spicant2017Hard-fernBlechnum spicant2017Male-fernDryopteris filix-mas2017Male-fernDryopteris filix-mas2017Black CurrantRibes nigrum2017Black CurrantRibes nigrum2017BluebellHyacinthoides non-scripta x hispanica = H. x massartiana2017BluebellHyacinthoides non-scripta x hispanica = H. x massartiana2017ElderSambucus nigra2017ElderSambucus nigra2017Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa2017Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa2017Broad-leaved DockRumex obtusifolius2017Broad-leaved DockRumex obtusifolius2017Remote SedgeCarex remota2017Remote SedgeCarex remota2017White CloverTrifolium repens2017White CloverTrifolium repens2017Hairy Bitter-cressCardamine hirsuta2017Hairy Bitter-cressCardamine hirsuta2017Wood DockRumex sanguineus2017Wood DockRumex sanguineus2017Floating Sweet-grassGlyceria fluitans2017Floating Sweet-grassGlyceria fluitans2017Cut-leaved Crane's-billGeranium dissectum2017Cut-leaved Crane's-billGeranium dissectum2017Broad-leaved WillowherbEpilobium montanum2017Broad-leaved WillowherbEpilobium montanum2017Red FescueFestuca rubra2017Red FescueFestuca rubra2017Creeping Soft-grassHolcus mollis2017Creeping Soft-grassHolcus mollis2017PrimrosePrimula vulgaris2017PrimrosePrimula vulgaris2017Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne2017Perennial Rye-grassLolium perenne2017Wild StrawberryFragaria vesca2017Wild StrawberryFragaria vesca2017Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys2017Germander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrys2017BrooklimeVeronica beccabunga2017BrooklimeVeronica beccabunga2017HollyIlex aquifolium2017HollyIlex aquifolium2017Wood SpeedwellVeronica montana2017Wood SpeedwellVeronica montana2017Barren StrawberryPotentilla sterilis2017Barren StrawberryPotentilla sterilis2017Hemlock Water-dropwortOenanthe crocata2017Hemlock Water-dropwortOenanthe crocata2017RamsonsAllium ursinum2017RamsonsAllium ursinum2017AshFraxinus excelsior2017AshFraxinus excelsior2017Events & activities nearby
Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
