Five Hundred Acre Wood ✦ Ancient woodland 185 ha
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🍂 Seasonal
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Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 185 ha
Places › England › South East › Wealden Getting here
51.07488, 0.11578
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 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 🅿️ Parking nearby — easy to reach by car 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 🅿️ Parking nearby — easy to reach by car £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🌿 Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat🌳 Large woodland — room to roam🦉 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 — Robin, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon +69 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Robin, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon +69 more · last seen 2026
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Bracken, Holly, Bell Heather +71 more · last seen 2025
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Lowland heathland — silver-studded blue and heath fritillary butterflies; Insects — Brown Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker +31 more · last seen 2026
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic; Plants — Bramble, Hazel, Water Mint +4 more foraging species
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 8 signed routes nearby · 24 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
Chelwood Vachery (Ashdown Forest on foot) Walking route ▾
Named route Ref AF-CV Local walking route
Show on map Sussex Diamond Way Walking route 97 km ▾
Named route Length 97 km Regional walking route
Show on map Vanguard Way Walking route 111 km ▾
Named route Ref VGW Length 111 km Regional walking route
Show on map Sussex Border Path Walking route 220 km ▾
Named route Length 220 km Regional walking route
Show on map High Weald Landscape Trail Walking route ▾
Named route Ref HWLT Listed length 145km Regional walking route
Show on map 14 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Avenue Verte London ↔ Paris Cycling route ▾
English part of Avenue Verte London ↔ Paris, an international cycle route that connects the two capital cities
Named route Ref AV International cycle route
Show on map NCN National Route 18 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 18 National Cycle Network
Show on map Route 21 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 21 National Cycle Network
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 234 m ▾
Named route Ref 18 Length 234 m National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 3.4 km ▾
Named route Ref 21 Length 3.4 km National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 1.6 km ▾
Named route Ref 21 Length 1.6 km National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface unsealedfirm
Show on map 6 public paths nearby
Public paths
No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.
✦ Ancient woodland — continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD. A rare and irreplaceable habitat, rich in biodiversity and historical character.
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
All Historic
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id: 90c588b0-cec7-4e38-afe4-97079bdc0e33
UK green spaces mapped from open public data — so anyone can find the woodland, trail, or nature reserve closest to them.
© 2026 Glade · Made with care for UK green spaces
Wildlife to spot
15,432 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 15,432 records · National Biodiversity Network Blue Tit · Robin · Nuthatch · Stonechat · Carrion Crow +36
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2025 Stonechat Saxicola rubicola2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Coal Tit Periparus ater2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Jay Garrulus glandarius2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Pheasant Phasianus colchicus2025 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Marsh Tit Poecile palustris2025 Crossbill Loxia curvirostra2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2025 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus2025 Redwing Turdus iliacus2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs2025 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2025 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula2025 Woodlark Lullula arborea Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Corvus corax corax Corvus corax corax2025 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii2025 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris2025 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea2025 Swallow Hirundo rustica2025 Linnet Linaria cannabina2025 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus2025 Dartford Warbler Curruca undata2025 Grey Squirrel · Fallow Deer
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Fallow Deer Dama dama Slow-worm · Common Lizard
Slow-worm Anguis fragilis Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara Pine Ladybird · Southern Hawker · Migrant Hawker · Common Darter
Pine Ladybird Exochomus quadripustulatus Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea2025 Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta2025 Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum2025 Bracken · Holly · Downy Birch / Silver Birch · Bell Heather · Hard-fern +13
Bracken Pteridium aquilinum Holly Ilex aquifolium Downy Birch / Silver Birch Betula pubescens/pendula Bell Heather Erica cinerea Hard-fern Blechnum spicant Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum Wood Sage Teucrium scorodonia Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 15,432 records · National Biodiversity Network Blue Tit · Robin · Nuthatch · Stonechat · Carrion Crow +36
Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2025 Stonechat Saxicola rubicola2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Coal Tit Periparus ater2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Jay Garrulus glandarius2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Pheasant Phasianus colchicus2025 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Marsh Tit Poecile palustris2025 Crossbill Loxia curvirostra2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2025 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus2025 Redwing Turdus iliacus2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs2025 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2025 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula2025 Woodlark Lullula arborea Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Corvus corax corax Corvus corax corax2025 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii2025 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris2025 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea2025 Swallow Hirundo rustica2025 Linnet Linaria cannabina2025 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus2025 Dartford Warbler Curruca undata2025 Grey Squirrel · Fallow Deer
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Fallow Deer Dama dama Slow-worm · Common Lizard
Slow-worm Anguis fragilis Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara Pine Ladybird · Southern Hawker · Migrant Hawker · Common Darter
Pine Ladybird Exochomus quadripustulatus Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea2025 Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta2025 Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum2025 Bracken · Holly · Downy Birch / Silver Birch · Bell Heather · Hard-fern +13
Bracken Pteridium aquilinum Holly Ilex aquifolium Downy Birch / Silver Birch Betula pubescens/pendula Bell Heather Erica cinerea Hard-fern Blechnum spicant Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum Wood Sage Teucrium scorodonia Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Ribwort Plantain Plantago lanceolata
Ribwort Plantain Plantago lanceolata
Purple Moor-grass Molinia caerulea
Purple Moor-grass Molinia caerulea
Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens
Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens
Bramble Rubus fruticosus
Bramble Rubus fruticosus
Western Gorse / Dwarf Gorse Ulex gallii/minor
Western Gorse / Dwarf Gorse Ulex gallii/minor
Tufted Hair-grass Deschampsia cespitosa
Tufted Hair-grass Deschampsia cespitosa
Gorse Ulex europaeus
Gorse Ulex europaeus
Meadow Oat Helictochloa pratensis
Meadow Oat Helictochloa pratensis
Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix
Cross-leaved Heath Erica tetralix
Tormentil Potentilla erecta
Tormentil Potentilla erecta
Hazel Corylus avellana
Hazel Corylus avellana Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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