Finchale Priory Benedictine cell: hermitage, monastic precinct and site of priory watermill
3 ha
Plan your visit
🦅Birds🧺Picnic✦Heritage
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome3 ha
Getting here
54.81791, -1.54068
Open directionsv
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦73+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Mallard and Robin
- 🧺Good picnic destination in summer — open space and facilities for a relaxed day out
- ☕Finchale Abbey Farm Shop — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦73+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Mallard and Robin
- 🧺Good picnic destination in summer — open space and facilities for a relaxed day out
- ☕Finchale Abbey Farm Shop — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food
- £Free to visit — no entry charge
- 🐕Dogs welcome
☕Café🅿️Parking· Paid🧺Picnic spot🚻Toilets
🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Mallard, Robin, Blue Tit +70 more · last seen 2026
Free
🧺Picnic day out
Very strong match
picnic area, café, toilets, car park
Free
✦Heritage
Very strong match
Grade I listed building: FINCHALE PRIORY; Historic site with public access
Free
🛝Family friendly
Strong match
café, toilets, picnic area
Free
Birds — Mallard, Robin, Blue Tit +70 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦋Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Common Blue Damselfly, Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly +43 more · last seen 2025
Free
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km23 signed routes nearby · 4 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Weardale WayWalking route124 km▾
Named routeLength 124 kmRegional walking route
Small Pilgrim PlacesWalking route14.5 km▾
Named routeLength 14.5 kmRound tripLocal walking route
Jubilee WalkWalking route▾
Named routeRound tripLocal walking route
Battle of Neville's CrossWalking route▾
Named routeRound tripLocal walking route
Cuddy's CorseWalking route12 km▾
Named routeLength 12 kmPoint-to-pointLocal walking route
64 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Walney to Wear Cycle RouteCycling route▾
Named routeRef 70National Cycle Network
Route 14Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 14National Cycle Network
Great North CyclewayCycling route▾
Named routeRef 725National Cycle Network
Great North CyclewayCycling route▾
Named routeRef 725National Cycle Network
Station to Riverside GroundCycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
Langley Park to Sniperly LinkCycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
3 public paths nearby
Public paths
No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.
Photos
Finchale Priory: The stone vaulted undercroft to the refectory
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
Events & activities nearby
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Wildlife to spot
25,621 records · National Biodiversity Network
Wildlife to spot
25,621 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds48 species
autumnwinter
2026▾
Tufted Duck · Mallard · Blackbird · Woodpigeon · Robin +43
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- CootFulica atra
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- MagpiePica pica
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
- Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
- Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
- JackdawColoeus monedula2025
- Great TitParus major
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
- DunnockPrunella modularis2025
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
- House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
- GadwallMareca strepera2025
- WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
- CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
- Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
- GreenfinchChloris chloris
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- Little OwlAthene noctua2025
- Mandarin DuckAix galericulata2025
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
- GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
- DipperCinclus cinclus2025
- Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Grey Squirrel
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Harlequin Ladybird · Neomyia · 7-spot Ladybird
- Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
- NeomyiaNeomyia
- 7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Great Wood-rush · Lesser Celandine · Dog's Mercury · Red Dead-nettle · Ramsons +7
- Great Wood-rushLuzula sylvatica
- Lesser CelandineFicaria verna
- Dog's MercuryMercurialis perennis
- Red Dead-nettleLamium purpureum
- RamsonsAllium ursinum
- GorseUlex europaeus
- ColtsfootTussilago farfara
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot
25,621 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds48 species
autumnwinter
2026▾
Tufted Duck · Mallard · Blackbird · Woodpigeon · Robin +43
- Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- CootFulica atra
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- MagpiePica pica
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
- Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
- Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
- JackdawColoeus monedula2025
- Great TitParus major
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
- DunnockPrunella modularis2025
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
- House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
- GadwallMareca strepera2025
- WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
- CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
- Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
- GreenfinchChloris chloris
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- Little OwlAthene noctua2025
- Mandarin DuckAix galericulata2025
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
- GoldeneyeBucephala clangula2025
- DipperCinclus cinclus2025
- Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Grey Squirrel
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Harlequin Ladybird · Neomyia · 7-spot Ladybird
- Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
- NeomyiaNeomyia
- 7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Great Wood-rush · Lesser Celandine · Dog's Mercury · Red Dead-nettle · Ramsons +7
- Great Wood-rushLuzula sylvatica
- Lesser CelandineFicaria verna
- Dog's MercuryMercurialis perennis
- Red Dead-nettleLamium purpureum
- RamsonsAllium ursinum
- GorseUlex europaeus
- ColtsfootTussilago farfara
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas