Gathurst Wood ✦ Ancient woodland 4 ha
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🌿 Foraging
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Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 4 ha
Places › England › North West › Wigan Getting here
53.55787, -2.69672
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 🌿 Foraging is at its best in summer here 🐕 Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🌿 Foraging is at its best in summer here 🐕 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🌿 Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw +60 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw +60 more · last seen 2025
Free
Plants — Hogweed, Ramsons, Common Bistort +13 more foraging species; Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Plants — False Oat-grass, Lamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatum, Hogweed +117 more · last seen 2026; Plants — False Oat-grass, Lamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatum, Hogweed +117 more · last seen 2026
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
Named cycling route nearby: Pier to Pier cycle route
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 2 signed routes nearby · 5 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
GM Ringway Stage 15 Walking route 16.2 km ▾
GM Ringway Stage 15 - Blackrod to Wigan
Named route Length 16.2 km Regional walking route
Show on map GM Ringway Stage 16 Walking route 16.3 km ▾
GM Ringway Stage 16 - Wigan to Leigh
Named route Length 16.3 km Regional walking route
Show on map 21 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Pier to Pier cycle route Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 562 National Cycle Network
Show on map Standish Mineral Line Cycling route ▾
Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Lancashire Cycleway (Southern Loop) Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 91 Regional cycle route
Show on map Route 55 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 55 National Cycle Network
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 165 m ▾
Named route Ref 55 Length 165 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 74 m ▾
Named route Ref 562 Length 74 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface unsealedloose
Show on 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: 9604d77c-ac34-4464-b237-ee986fb19fe8
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
5,849 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 5,849 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 35 species
spring summer autumn
2025 ▾
Woodpigeon · Jackdaw · Carrion Crow · Magpie · Mallard +30
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Carrion Crow Corvus corone Magpie Pica pica Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus House Sparrow Passer domesticus Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Blackbird Turdus merula Swallow Hirundo rustica Robin Erithacus rubecula Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Canada Goose Branta canadensis Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Nuthatch Sitta europaea Rock Dove Columba livia Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Common Gull Larus canus Great Tit Parus major Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Redwing Turdus iliacus Linnet Linaria cannabina Greenfinch Chloris chloris House Martin Delichon urbicum Rook Corvus frugilegus Swift Apus apus Raven Corvus corax Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Grey Squirrel · Red Fox
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Red Fox Vulpes vulpes 🐸 Amphibians 4 species
winter
2026 ▾
Common Frog · Palmate Newt · Common Toad · Smooth Newt
Common Frog Rana temporaria Palmate Newt Lissotriton helveticus Common Toad Bufo bufo Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris Banded Demoiselle · Common Hawker
Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens Common Hawker Aeshna juncea 🌿 Plants 31 species
winter summer
2026 ▾
Foxglove · Hart's-Tongue · Giant Hogweed · Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus · Lesser Periwinkle +26
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Hart's-Tongue Asplenium scolopendrium Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum2025 Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus Lesser Periwinkle Vinca minor Lamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatum Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 5,849 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 35 species
spring summer autumn
2025 ▾
Woodpigeon · Jackdaw · Carrion Crow · Magpie · Mallard +30
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Carrion Crow Corvus corone Magpie Pica pica Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus House Sparrow Passer domesticus Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Blackbird Turdus merula Swallow Hirundo rustica Robin Erithacus rubecula Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Canada Goose Branta canadensis Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Nuthatch Sitta europaea Rock Dove Columba livia Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Common Gull Larus canus Great Tit Parus major Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Redwing Turdus iliacus Linnet Linaria cannabina Greenfinch Chloris chloris House Martin Delichon urbicum Rook Corvus frugilegus Swift Apus apus Raven Corvus corax Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Grey Squirrel · Red Fox
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Red Fox Vulpes vulpes 🐸 Amphibians 4 species
winter
2026 ▾
Common Frog · Palmate Newt · Common Toad · Smooth Newt
Common Frog Rana temporaria Palmate Newt Lissotriton helveticus Common Toad Bufo bufo Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris Banded Demoiselle · Common Hawker
Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens Common Hawker Aeshna juncea 🌿 Plants 31 species
winter summer
2026 ▾
Foxglove · Hart's-Tongue · Giant Hogweed · Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus · Lesser Periwinkle +26
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Hart's-Tongue Asplenium scolopendrium Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum2025 Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus Lesser Periwinkle Vinca minor Lamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatum Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Lamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatum
Lamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatum
Iris reticulata Iris reticulata
Iris reticulata Iris reticulata
Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes
Laurustinus Viburnum tinus
Laurustinus Viburnum tinus
Smooth Sow-thistle Sonchus oleraceus
Smooth Sow-thistle Sonchus oleraceus
Ramsons Allium ursinum
Ramsons Allium ursinum
Cleavers Galium aparine
Cleavers Galium aparine
Ivy Hedera helix
Ivy Hedera helix
Herb-Robert Geranium robertianum
Herb-Robert Geranium robertianum
Broad-leaved Dock Rumex obtusifolius
Broad-leaved Dock Rumex obtusifolius
Spotted-laurel Aucuba japonica
Spotted-laurel Aucuba japonica
Butterfly-bush Buddleja davidii
Butterfly-bush Buddleja davidii
Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria
Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria
Hazel Corylus avellana
Hazel Corylus avellana
Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna
Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna
Shining Crane's-bill Geranium lucidum
Shining Crane's-bill Geranium lucidum
Tutsan Hypericum androsaemum2025
Tutsan Hypericum androsaemum2025
Common Fleabane Pulicaria dysenterica2025
Common Fleabane Pulicaria dysenterica2025
Red Bartsia Odontites vernus2025
Red Bartsia Odontites vernus2025
Petty Spurge Euphorbia peplus2025
Petty Spurge Euphorbia peplus2025
Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus2025
Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus2025
Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens2025
Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens2025
Ash Fraxinus excelsior2025
Ash Fraxinus excelsior2025
Daisy Bellis perennis2025
Daisy Bellis perennis2025
Japanese Rose Rosa rugosa2025
Japanese Rose Rosa rugosa2025
Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium2025
Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium2025 Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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