Field system and settlement on Watcombe Plain
24 ha
Plan your visit
🦅Birds🦉Wildlife✦Heritage
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome24 ha
Getting here
50.82668, -2.41124
Open directionsv
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦45+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Swallow and House Sparrow
- ✦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
- 🐦45+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Swallow and House Sparrow
- ✦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
🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Swallow, House Sparrow, Blackbird +42 more · last seen 2024; Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds
Free
Birds — Swallow, House Sparrow, Blackbird +42 more · last seen 2024; Deciduous woodland priority habitat
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, Large White, Gatekeeper +35 more · last seen 2024
Free
Dogs allowed with public access
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km1 signed route nearby · 3 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Wessex RidgewayWalking route▾
Named routeRef WRRegional walking route
White Waypublic footpath · 271 m▾
Public pathpublic footpathLength 271 mPath type: unclassified
1 signed route nearby
Signed route nearby
Wessex Ridgeway TrailMountain bike route▾
Named routeListed length 207km
5 public paths nearby
Public paths
White Waybridleway · 440 m▾
Public pathbridlewayLength 440 mPath type: unclassified
Photos
Field system, Watcombe Plain
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
Events & activities nearby
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Wildlife to spot
2,996 records · National Biodiversity Network
Wildlife to spot
2,996 records · National Biodiversity NetworkSwallow · Blue Tit · Great Spotted Woodpecker · House Sparrow · Chaffinch +21
- SwallowHirundo rustica2023
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2023
- House SparrowPasser domesticus2023
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2023
- BlackbirdTurdus merula2023
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris2023
- Great TitParus major2023
- DunnockPrunella modularis2023
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2023
- RobinErithacus rubecula2023
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus2023
- House MartinDelichon urbicum
- GreenfinchChloris chloris2023
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2023
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra2023
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2023
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco2023
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2023
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2023
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2023
- RookCorvus frugilegus2023
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2022
- RavenCorvus corax2022
- StonechatSaxicola rubicola2022
- CuckooCuculus canorus2022
🦌Mammals2 species
winterautumn
2025▾
Badger · Rabbit
- BadgerMeles meles
- RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2022
Meadow Brown · Gatekeeper · Large White · Small White · Red Admiral +13
- Meadow BrownManiola jurtina
- GatekeeperPyronia tithonus
- Large WhitePieris brassicae
- Small WhitePieris rapae
- Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta
- BrimstoneGonepteryx rhamni
- Green-veined WhitePieris napi
Yorkshire-fog · Red Fescue · Dandelion · Red Clover · Common Soft-brome +35
- Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
- Red FescueFestuca rubra
- DandelionTaraxacum
- Red CloverTrifolium pratense
- Common Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus subsp. hordeaceus
- Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum
- Smooth Hawk's-beardCrepis capillaris
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot
2,996 records · National Biodiversity NetworkSwallow · Blue Tit · Great Spotted Woodpecker · House Sparrow · Chaffinch +21
- SwallowHirundo rustica2023
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2023
- House SparrowPasser domesticus2023
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2023
- BlackbirdTurdus merula2023
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris2023
- Great TitParus major2023
- DunnockPrunella modularis2023
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2023
- RobinErithacus rubecula2023
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus2023
- House MartinDelichon urbicum
- GreenfinchChloris chloris2023
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata2023
- Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra2023
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2023
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco2023
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2023
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2023
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2023
- RookCorvus frugilegus2023
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa2022
- RavenCorvus corax2022
- StonechatSaxicola rubicola2022
- CuckooCuculus canorus2022
🦌Mammals2 species
winterautumn
2025▾
Badger · Rabbit
- BadgerMeles meles
- RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2022
Meadow Brown · Gatekeeper · Large White · Small White · Red Admiral +13
- Meadow BrownManiola jurtina
- GatekeeperPyronia tithonus
- Large WhitePieris brassicae
- Small WhitePieris rapae
- Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta
- BrimstoneGonepteryx rhamni
- Green-veined WhitePieris napi
Yorkshire-fog · Red Fescue · Dandelion · Red Clover · Common Soft-brome +35
- Yorkshire-fogHolcus lanatus
- Red FescueFestuca rubra
- DandelionTaraxacum
- Red CloverTrifolium pratense
- Common Soft-bromeBromus hordeaceus subsp. hordeaceus
- Common Mouse-earCerastium fontanum
- Smooth Hawk's-beardCrepis capillaris
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
2023
2023
Small TortoiseshellAglais urticaeSmall TortoiseshellAglais urticaeSpeckled WoodPararge aegeriaSpeckled WoodPararge aegeriaMarbled WhiteMelanargia galatheaMarbled WhiteMelanargia galatheaSmall SkipperThymelicus sylvestrisSmall SkipperThymelicus sylvestrisHolly BlueCelastrina argiolus2023Holly BlueCelastrina argiolus2023Golden-ringed DragonflyCordulegaster boltoniiGolden-ringed DragonflyCordulegaster boltoniiSmall CopperLycaena phlaeas2023Small CopperLycaena phlaeas2023RingletAphantopus hyperantus2023RingletAphantopus hyperantus2023Small HeathCoenonympha pamphilus2023Small HeathCoenonympha pamphilus2023Chalk Hill BluePolyommatus coridon2023Chalk Hill BluePolyommatus coridon2023Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina2021Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina2021White CloverTrifolium repensWhite CloverTrifolium repensSpear ThistleCirsium vulgareSpear ThistleCirsium vulgareRibwort PlantainPlantago lanceolataRibwort PlantainPlantago lanceolataCreeping ButtercupRanunculus repensCreeping ButtercupRanunculus repensLesser StitchwortStellaria gramineaLesser StitchwortStellaria gramineaCommon BentAgrostis capillarisCommon BentAgrostis capillarisDove's-foot Crane's-billGeranium molleDove's-foot Crane's-billGeranium molleCock's-footDactylis glomerataCock's-footDactylis glomerataCommon Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatusCommon Bird's-foot-trefoilLotus corniculatusDropwortFilipendula vulgarisDropwortFilipendula vulgarisHorseshoe VetchHippocrepis comosaHorseshoe VetchHippocrepis comosaYarrowAchillea millefoliumYarrowAchillea millefoliumLesser HawkbitLeontodon saxatilisLesser HawkbitLeontodon saxatilisAutumn HawkbitScorzoneroides autumnalisAutumn HawkbitScorzoneroides autumnalisPerennial Rye-grassLolium perennePerennial Rye-grassLolium perenneGermander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrysGermander SpeedwellVeronica chamaedrysSalad BurnetPoterium sanguisorbaSalad BurnetPoterium sanguisorbaSmaller Cat's-tailPhleum bertoloniiSmaller Cat's-tailPhleum bertoloniiSpring-sedgeCarex caryophylleaSpring-sedgeCarex caryophylleaSweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratumSweet Vernal-grassAnthoxanthum odoratumCreeping BentAgrostis stoloniferaCreeping BentAgrostis stoloniferaSelfhealPrunella vulgarisSelfhealPrunella vulgarisGreater PlantainPlantago majorGreater PlantainPlantago majorCommon NettleUrtica dioicaCommon NettleUrtica dioicaLady's BedstrawGalium verumLady's BedstrawGalium verumGlaucous SedgeCarex flaccaGlaucous SedgeCarex flaccaHedge BedstrawGalium albumHedge BedstrawGalium albumBlack MedickMedicago lupulinaBlack MedickMedicago lupulinaHawkweed OxtonguePicris hieracioidesHawkweed OxtonguePicris hieracioidesFairy FlaxLinum catharticumFairy FlaxLinum catharticumClustered BellflowerCampanula glomerataClustered BellflowerCampanula glomerataBugleAjuga reptans2021BugleAjuga reptans2021HazelCorylus avellana2021HazelCorylus avellana2021