Plan your visit
🦅Birds🌳Ancient🦉Wildlife
Free entryDogs welcome1 ha
Getting here
50.84223, -2.91093
Open directionsv
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦76+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Herring Gull and Moorhen
- ✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
- ☕The Abbot's Table Cafe — a good base for a longer summer day out
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦76+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Herring Gull and Moorhen
- ✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
- ☕The Abbot's Table Cafe — a good base for a longer summer day out
Best for
6 activities🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Herring Gull, Moorhen, Mallard +73 more · last seen 2025; Ancient woodland — owls, woodpeckers, warblers
🌳Ancient woodland
Strong match
Ancient woodland — continuous woodland since before 1600
Birds — Herring Gull, Moorhen, Mallard +73 more · last seen 2025; Ancient woodland
🦋Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown +60 more · last seen 2025
Historic site; Grade I listed building nearby: FORDE ABBEY
🏡Historic gardens
Moderate match
Historic site
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km6 signed routes nearby · 7 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Monarch's WayWalking route990 km▾
approximate route of Charles II's escape
Named routeRef MWLength 990 kmRegional walking route
Wessex RidgewayWalking route▾
Named routeRef WRRegional walking route
Jubilee Trail (Dorset)Walking route▾
Named routeRegional walking route
Liberty TrailWalking route▾
Named routeRef LIBRegional walking route
Orange WayWalking route560 km▾
Named routeRef ORWLength 560 kmRegional walking route
21 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 33Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 33National Cycle Network
Main RouteCycling route15 m▾
Named routeRef 33Length 15 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt
Main RouteCycling route2.2 km▾
Named routeRef 33Length 2.2 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt
Main RouteCycling route19 m▾
Named routeRef 33Length 19 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt
Main RouteCycling route213 m▾
Named routeRef 33Length 213 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt
Main RouteCycling route502 m▾
Named routeRef 33Length 502 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt
Photos
15 photos from nearby open sources
Forde Abbey - South Front
Photos
Forde Abbey - South Front
Facilities
☕Café
The Abbot's Table Cafe · 139m
Good to know
- £Free to visit — no entry charge
- 🐕Dogs welcome
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
Ringlet
Ringlet
Aphantopus hyperantus2024
Aphantopus hyperantus2024
Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta2024Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta2024Small SkipperThymelicus sylvestris2024Small SkipperThymelicus sylvestris2024CommaPolygonia c-album2024CommaPolygonia c-album2024Common BluePolyommatus icarus2024Common BluePolyommatus icarus2024Large WhitePieris brassicae2024Large WhitePieris brassicae2024PeacockAglais io2024PeacockAglais io2024Marbled WhiteMelanargia galathea2024Marbled WhiteMelanargia galathea2024Large SkipperOchlodes sylvanus2024Large SkipperOchlodes sylvanus2024Silver-washed FritillaryArgynnis paphia2024Silver-washed FritillaryArgynnis paphia2024Holly BlueCelastrina argiolus2023Holly BlueCelastrina argiolus2023BrimstoneGonepteryx rhamni2024BrimstoneGonepteryx rhamni2024Bronze ShieldbugTroilus luridusBronze ShieldbugTroilus luridusAdonis' LadybirdHippodamia variegataAdonis' LadybirdHippodamia variegataOrange-tipAnthocharis cardamines2024Orange-tipAnthocharis cardamines2024Tortoise BugEurygaster testudinariaTortoise BugEurygaster testudinaria24-spot LadybirdSubcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata24-spot LadybirdSubcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctataRed-veined DarterSympetrum fonscolombiiRed-veined DarterSympetrum fonscolombiiEmperor DragonflyAnax imperatorEmperor DragonflyAnax imperatorRoesel's Bush-cricketRoeseliana roeseliiRoesel's Bush-cricketRoeseliana roeseliiLong-winged Cone-headConocephalus fuscusLong-winged Cone-headConocephalus fuscusBishop's MitreAelia acuminataBishop's MitreAelia acuminataSphaeroderma testaceumSphaeroderma testaceumSphaeroderma testaceumSphaeroderma testaceumMint Leaf BeetleChrysolina herbaceaMint Leaf BeetleChrysolina herbaceaFigwort WeevilCionus scrophulariaeFigwort WeevilCionus scrophulariaeAthripsodes albifronsAthripsodes albifronsAthripsodes albifronsAthripsodes albifronsCryptocephalus moraeiCryptocephalus moraeiCryptocephalus moraeiCryptocephalus moraeiFleabane Tortoise BeetleCassida murraeaFleabane Tortoise BeetleCassida murraeaHairy ShieldbugDolycoris baccarumHairy ShieldbugDolycoris baccarumCicadella viridisCicadella viridisCicadella viridisCicadella viridisGreen DrakeEphemera danicaGreen DrakeEphemera danicaScymnus frontalisScymnus frontalisScymnus frontalisScymnus frontalisPolydrusus formosusPolydrusus formosusPolydrusus formosusPolydrusus formosusBlack SnipeflyChrysopilus cristatusBlack SnipeflyChrysopilus cristatusHazel Leaf-rollerApoderus coryliHazel Leaf-rollerApoderus coryli14-spot LadybirdPropylea quattuordecimpunctata14-spot LadybirdPropylea quattuordecimpunctataEupteryx aurataEupteryx aurataEupteryx aurataEupteryx aurataRibautiana tenerrimaRibautiana tenerrimaRibautiana tenerrimaRibautiana tenerrimaSpeckled Bush-cricketLeptophyes punctatissimaSpeckled Bush-cricketLeptophyes punctatissimaIris WeevilMononychus punctumalbumIris WeevilMononychus punctumalbumRed-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipesRed-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipesCyllecoris histrioniusCyllecoris histrioniusCyllecoris histrioniusCyllecoris histrioniusStenocorus meridianusStenocorus meridianusStenocorus meridianusStenocorus meridianusBroad-barred FusehornArge cyanocroceaBroad-barred FusehornArge cyanocroceaDark-edged Bee-flyBombylius majorDark-edged Bee-flyBombylius majorVolucella pellucensVolucella pellucens2024Volucella pellucensVolucella pellucens2024Southern Migrant HawkerAeshna affinis2024Southern Migrant HawkerAeshna affinis2024Rhododendron LeafhopperGraphocephala fennahi2024Rhododendron LeafhopperGraphocephala fennahi2024Painted LadyVanessa cardui2024Painted LadyVanessa cardui2024Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum2024Common Blue DamselflyEnallagma cyathigerum20247-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata20247-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata2024Brown HawkerAeshna grandis2024Brown HawkerAeshna grandis2024Alder Leaf BeetleAgelastica alni2024Alder Leaf BeetleAgelastica alni2024Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax2024Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax2024Melanostoma scalareMelanostoma scalare2024Melanostoma scalareMelanostoma scalare2024Endomychus coccineusEndomychus coccineus2023Endomychus coccineusEndomychus coccineus2023Purple HairstreakFavonius quercus2023Purple HairstreakFavonius quercus2023Small CopperLycaena phlaeas2023Small CopperLycaena phlaeas2023Events & activities nearby
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