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← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Gardiner Forest

✦ Ancient woodland67 ha

📷 Jonathan Billinger · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome67 ha

Getting here

50.98283, -2.00867

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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
  • 📍Open access throughout summer — no booking required

Good to know

  • £Free to visit — no entry charge
  • 🐕Dogs welcome
  • 🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat

Best for

8 activities

Wildlife

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals

Free

Bird watching

Birds — Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Robin +58 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Robin +58 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Bramble, Bluebell, Dog's Mercury +50 more · last seen 2025

Free

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Insect spotting

Insects — Meadow Brown, Brimstone, Small White +42 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Meadow Brown, Brimstone, Small White +42 more · last seen 2026

Free

Foraging

Plants — Bramble, Hawthorn, Ramsons +6 more foraging species; Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

4 signed routes nearby · 5 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Cranborne Droves WayWalking route

The route of the Cranborne Droves Way walkers route between Win Green where it links with Wessex Ridgeway and Salisbury where it links with the Sarsen Way

Named routeRegional walking route
Shire RackWalking route

Path following the Dorset-Wiltshire border

Named route
Jubilee Trail (Dorset)Walking route
Named routeRegional walking route
The Hardy WayWalking route
Named routeRegional walking route
Shire Rackpublic footpath · 1.7 km
Public pathpublic footpathLength 1.7 kmPath type: footway
Shire Rackpublic footpath · 1.6 km
Public pathpublic footpathLength 1.6 kmPath type: footway
🚴

Cycling

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Wiltshire CyclewayCycling route155 km
Named routeRef WCLength 155 kmRound tripRegional cycle route
National BywayCycling route
Named routeRef NBRegional cycle route
North Dorset Cycle WayCycling route
Named routeRegional cycle route
🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby
Cranborne Droves Way TrailMountain bike route
Named route
🐴

Horse riding

6 public paths nearby

Public paths

No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Bare beeches

📷 Jonathan Billinger · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Bare beeches

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦RUSHMORE PARKHistoric site4.7 km→✦Iron Age and Romano-British settlement remains on Woodcutts Common, 850m south east and 845m SSE of Arundell CottagesHistoric site3.9 km→✦Long barrow south-west of Vernditch ChaseHistoric site4.1 km→✦Camp in Mistlebury WoodHistoric site900 m→✦A cross-ridge dyke on South Down 500m north east of Chase BarnHistoric site1.4 km→✦Two sections of a linear earthwork north of West Woodyates Manor: part of the `Bokerley Line'Historic site2.6 km→

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