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Hembury Castle

📷 Humphrey Bolton · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsFungi

Dogs welcome

Getting here

50.50176, -3.79839

Open directionsv

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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
🍄Mushroom 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
🍄Mushroom 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

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Parking

Best for

7 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Blue Tit, Great Tit, Pied Flycatcher +67 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Blue Tit, Great Tit, Pied Flycatcher +67 more · last seen 2025

Free

Mushroom foraging

Strong match

Fungi — Crown Rust, Oak Blackhead, Iron Porecrust +18 more · last seen 2024; Fungi — Crown Rust, Oak Blackhead, Iron Porecrust +18 more · last seen 2024

Varies

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Heath Threadwort, Greater Copperwort, Slender Mouse-tail Moss +124 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Heath Threadwort, Greater Copperwort, Slender Mouse-tail Moss +124 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Violet Oil-beetle, Chilenocaecilius ornatipennis, Black Oil-beetle +27 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Violet Oil-beetle, Chilenocaecilius ornatipennis, Black Oil-beetle +27 more · last seen 2026

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

4 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Two Moors WayWalking route

Named routeRef MWListed length 166Regional walking route

Dartmoor WayWalking route

Named routeRef DWRegional walking route

Abbot's WayWalking route

Named routeRef AWRegional walking route

Buckfastleigh to Totnes TrailWalking route

Named routeRef BTTRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

26 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

NCN272Cycling route

Named routeRef 272National Cycle Network

Dartmoor Way (Cycle)Cycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Main RouteCycling route329 m

Named routeRef 272Length 329 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route222 m

Named routeRef 272Length 222 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route42 m

Named routeRef 272Length 42 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

N/ACycling route2.2 km

Named routeRef 272Length 2.2 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Wildlife to spot

17,403 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

17,403 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds16 species

autumn

2025

Great Spotted Woodpecker · Coal Tit · Robin · Woodpigeon · Marsh Tit +11

Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
Coal TitPeriparus ater
RobinErithacus rubecula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Marsh TitPoecile palustris
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
MerlinFalco columbarius
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Great TitParus major
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Tawny OwlStrix aluco
DipperCinclus cinclus
NuthatchSitta europaea

🦌

Mammals1 species

autumn

2025

Hazel Dormouse

Hazel DormouseMuscardinus avellanarius

🦎

Reptiles1 species

spring

2026

Slow-worm

Slow-wormAnguis fragilis

🐝

Insects5 species

spring

2026

Black Oil-beetle · Oedemera femoralis · Violet Oil-beetle · Red-legged Shieldbug · Lesser Stag Beetle

Black Oil-beetleMeloe proscarabaeus
Oedemera femoralisOedemera femoralis
Violet Oil-beetleMeloe violaceus
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes2025
Lesser Stag BeetleDorcus parallelipipedus2025

🌿

Plants128 species

winter

2026

Heath Threadwort · Greater Copperwort · Slender Mouse-tail Moss · Dotted Thyme-moss · Shining Hookeria +123

Heath ThreadwortCephaloziella stellulifera
Greater CopperwortCephaloziella nicholsonii
Slender Mouse-tail MossIsothecium myosuroides
Dotted Thyme-mossRhizomnium punctatum
Shining HookeriaHookeria lucens
Lateral CryphaeaCryphaea heteromalla
Curved Silk-mossPlagiothecium curvifolium
Silky Wall Feather-mossHomalothecium sericeum
Wood-rustCephalozia curvifolia
Wood Bristle-mossLewinskya affinis
River Feather-mossBrachythecium rivulare
Swan's-neck Thyme-mossMnium hornum
Hart's-tongue Thyme-mossPlagiomnium undulatum
Creeping FingerwortLepidozia reptans
Common Feather-mossKindbergia praelonga
Dwarf NeckeraNeckera pumila
Flat NeckeraNeckera complanata
Fox-tail Feather-mossThamnobryum alopecurum
Great Scented LiverwortConocephalum conicum
Tamarisk ScalewortFrullania tamarisci
Turner's ThreadwortCephaloziella turneri
Supine Plait-mossHypnum cupressiforme var. resupinatum
Springy Turf-mossRhytidiadelphus squarrosus
Rock Pocket-mossFissidens dubius
Common Pocket-mossFissidens taxifolius
Lesser Yoke-mossZygodon conoideus
Bruch's PincushionUlota bruchii
Elegant Bristle-mossOrthotrichum pulchellum
Common Tamarisk-mossThuidium tamariscinum
Common SmoothcapAtrichum undulatum
Common Striated Feather-mossEurhynchium striatum
Hair-pointed Feather-mossCirriphyllum piliferum
Elegant Silk-mossPseudotaxiphyllum elegans
Notched PouchwortCalypogeia arguta
White EarwortDiplophyllum albicans
Mamillate Plait-mossHypnum andoi
Even ScalewortRadula complanata
GreasewortAneura pinguis
Short-beaked Wood-mossLoeskeobryum brevirostre
Chalk Comb-mossCtenidium molluscum
Handsome WoollywortTrichocolea tomentella
Waved Silk-mossPlagiothecium undulatum
Dented Silk-mossPlagiothecium denticulatum
Park Yoke-mossZygodon rupestris
Thick-set EarwortScapania compacta
Heath EarwortScapania irrigua
Nut-mossDiphyscium foliosum
Broom Fork-mossDicranum scoparium
Urn HaircapPogonatum urnigerum
Chiloscyphus polyanthosChiloscyphus polyanthos
Wavy Beard-mossDidymodon sinuosus
Grove EarwortScapania nemorea
Greater Water-mossFontinalis antipyretica
Welsh Pocket-mossFissidens celticus
Beech Feather-mossCirriphyllum crassinervium
Pellucid Four-tooth MossTetraphis pellucida
Pale-fruited Thread-mossPohlia annotina
Lyell's Bristle-mossPulvigera lyellii
Fern-leaved Hook-mossCratoneuron filicinum
Anomalous Bristle-mossOrthotrichum anomalum
Shaw's Bristle-mossLewinskya striata
Rusty Feather-mossSciuro-hypnum plumosum
Glittering Wood-mossHylocomium splendens
Capillary Thread-mossBryum capillare
Long-beaked Water Feather-mossRhynchostegium riparioides
Heath Star MossCampylopus introflexus
Blueish VeilwortMetzgeria violacea
Greater FeatherwortPlagiochila asplenioides
Creeping Feather-mossAmblystegium serpens
Water EarwortScapania undulata
Dune Thread-mossBryum dichotomum
Thickpoint GrimmiaSchistidium crassipilum
Moon-leaved PincerwortCephalozia lunulifolia
Two-horned PincerwortCephalozia bicuspidata
Cylindric Beard-mossDidymodon insulanus
Gravel Thread-mossPohlia andalusica
Western PouncewortLejeunea lamacerina
Tender Feather-mossRhynchostegiella tenella
Clustered Feather-mossRhynchostegium confertum
Don's Thread-mossBryum donianum
Micheli's Least PouncewortLejeunea cavifolia
Overleaf PelliaPellia epiphylla
Pointed Spear-mossCalliergonella cuspidata
Dicranella variaDicranella varia
Grey-cushioned GrimmiaGrimmia pulvinata
Nodding Thread-mossPohlia nutans
Blunt Feather-mossHomalia trichomanoides
Bank HaircapPolytrichum formosum
Rough-stalked Feather-mossBrachythecium rutabulum
Flagellate Feather-mossHyocomium armoricum
Bifid CrestwortLophocolea bidentata
Crenulated FlapwortSolenostoma gracillimum
Heath Plait-mossHypnum jutlandicum
Silky Forklet-mossDicranella heteromalla
Olive Beard-mossDidymodon tophaceus
Alpine HaircapPolytrichastrum alpinum
Common ThreadwortCephaloziella divaricata
RedshankCeratodon purpureus
Cape Thread-mossOrthodontium lineare
Whiskered VeilwortMetzgeria consanguinea
Aloe HaircapPogonatum aloides
Neat Feather-mossPseudoscleropodium purum
Tall-clustered Thread-mossBryum pallescens
Dwarf Feather-mossMicroeurhynchium pumilum
Swartz's Feather-mossOxyrrhynchium hians
Wall Screw-mossTortula muralis
Greater Fork-mossDicranum majus
Matted Feather-mossSciuro-hypnum populeum
Sessile GrimmiaSchistidium apocarpum
Red Beard-mossBryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum
Rusty Swan-neck MossCampylopus flexuosus
Lesser FeatherwortPlagiochila porelloides var. porelloides
Common PouchwortCalypogeia fissa
Marsh BryumBryum pseudotriquetrum
Fissidens bryoides var. bryoidesFissidens bryoides var. bryoides
Straggling PouchwortSaccogyna viticulosa
Forked VeilwortMetzgeria furcata
Wall Feather-mossRhynchostegium murale
Common PincushionDicranoweisia cirrata
Dilated ScalewortFrullania dilatata
Big Shaggy-mossHylocomiadelphus triquetrus
Shady EarwortScapania umbrosa
Wry-leaved Tamarisk-mossHeterocladium heteropterum
Crescent-cup LiverwortLunularia cruciata
Yellow Fringe-mossRacomitrium aciculare
Streblotrichum convolutum var. commutatumStreblotrichum convolutum var. commutatum
Little Shaggy-mossRhytidiadelphus loreus
Deptford PinkDianthus armeria2025

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

17,403 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds16 species

autumn

2025

Great Spotted Woodpecker · Coal Tit · Robin · Woodpigeon · Marsh Tit +11

Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
Coal TitPeriparus ater
RobinErithacus rubecula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Marsh TitPoecile palustris
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
Lesser Spotted WoodpeckerDryobates minor
MerlinFalco columbarius
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Great TitParus major
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Tawny OwlStrix aluco
DipperCinclus cinclus
NuthatchSitta europaea

🦌

Mammals1 species

autumn

2025

Hazel Dormouse

Hazel DormouseMuscardinus avellanarius

🦎

Reptiles1 species

spring

2026

Slow-worm

Slow-wormAnguis fragilis

🐝

Insects5 species

spring

2026

Black Oil-beetle · Oedemera femoralis · Violet Oil-beetle · Red-legged Shieldbug · Lesser Stag Beetle

Black Oil-beetleMeloe proscarabaeus
Oedemera femoralisOedemera femoralis
Violet Oil-beetleMeloe violaceus
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes2025
Lesser Stag BeetleDorcus parallelipipedus2025

🌿

Plants128 species

winter

2026

Heath Threadwort · Greater Copperwort · Slender Mouse-tail Moss · Dotted Thyme-moss · Shining Hookeria +123

Heath ThreadwortCephaloziella stellulifera
Greater CopperwortCephaloziella nicholsonii
Slender Mouse-tail MossIsothecium myosuroides
Dotted Thyme-mossRhizomnium punctatum
Shining HookeriaHookeria lucens
Lateral CryphaeaCryphaea heteromalla
Curved Silk-mossPlagiothecium curvifolium
Silky Wall Feather-mossHomalothecium sericeum
Wood-rustCephalozia curvifolia
Wood Bristle-mossLewinskya affinis
River Feather-mossBrachythecium rivulare
Swan's-neck Thyme-mossMnium hornum
Hart's-tongue Thyme-mossPlagiomnium undulatum
Creeping FingerwortLepidozia reptans
Common Feather-mossKindbergia praelonga
Dwarf NeckeraNeckera pumila
Flat NeckeraNeckera complanata
Fox-tail Feather-mossThamnobryum alopecurum
Great Scented LiverwortConocephalum conicum
Tamarisk ScalewortFrullania tamarisci
Turner's ThreadwortCephaloziella turneri
Supine Plait-mossHypnum cupressiforme var. resupinatum
Springy Turf-mossRhytidiadelphus squarrosus
Rock Pocket-mossFissidens dubius
Common Pocket-mossFissidens taxifolius
Lesser Yoke-mossZygodon conoideus
Bruch's PincushionUlota bruchii
Elegant Bristle-mossOrthotrichum pulchellum
Common Tamarisk-mossThuidium tamariscinum
Common SmoothcapAtrichum undulatum
Common Striated Feather-mossEurhynchium striatum
Hair-pointed Feather-mossCirriphyllum piliferum
Elegant Silk-mossPseudotaxiphyllum elegans
Notched PouchwortCalypogeia arguta
White EarwortDiplophyllum albicans
Mamillate Plait-mossHypnum andoi
Even ScalewortRadula complanata
GreasewortAneura pinguis
Short-beaked Wood-mossLoeskeobryum brevirostre
Chalk Comb-mossCtenidium molluscum
Handsome WoollywortTrichocolea tomentella
Waved Silk-mossPlagiothecium undulatum
Dented Silk-mossPlagiothecium denticulatum
Park Yoke-mossZygodon rupestris
Thick-set EarwortScapania compacta
Heath EarwortScapania irrigua
Nut-mossDiphyscium foliosum
Broom Fork-mossDicranum scoparium
Urn HaircapPogonatum urnigerum
Chiloscyphus polyanthosChiloscyphus polyanthos
Wavy Beard-mossDidymodon sinuosus
Grove EarwortScapania nemorea
Greater Water-mossFontinalis antipyretica
Welsh Pocket-mossFissidens celticus
Beech Feather-mossCirriphyllum crassinervium
Pellucid Four-tooth MossTetraphis pellucida
Pale-fruited Thread-mossPohlia annotina
Lyell's Bristle-mossPulvigera lyellii
Fern-leaved Hook-mossCratoneuron filicinum
Anomalous Bristle-mossOrthotrichum anomalum
Shaw's Bristle-mossLewinskya striata
Rusty Feather-mossSciuro-hypnum plumosum
Glittering Wood-mossHylocomium splendens
Capillary Thread-mossBryum capillare
Long-beaked Water Feather-mossRhynchostegium riparioides
Heath Star MossCampylopus introflexus
Blueish VeilwortMetzgeria violacea
Greater FeatherwortPlagiochila asplenioides
Creeping Feather-mossAmblystegium serpens
Water EarwortScapania undulata
Dune Thread-mossBryum dichotomum
Thickpoint GrimmiaSchistidium crassipilum
Moon-leaved PincerwortCephalozia lunulifolia
Two-horned PincerwortCephalozia bicuspidata
Cylindric Beard-mossDidymodon insulanus
Gravel Thread-mossPohlia andalusica
Western PouncewortLejeunea lamacerina
Tender Feather-mossRhynchostegiella tenella
Clustered Feather-mossRhynchostegium confertum
Don's Thread-mossBryum donianum
Micheli's Least PouncewortLejeunea cavifolia
Overleaf PelliaPellia epiphylla
Pointed Spear-mossCalliergonella cuspidata
Dicranella variaDicranella varia
Grey-cushioned GrimmiaGrimmia pulvinata
Nodding Thread-mossPohlia nutans
Blunt Feather-mossHomalia trichomanoides
Bank HaircapPolytrichum formosum
Rough-stalked Feather-mossBrachythecium rutabulum
Flagellate Feather-mossHyocomium armoricum
Bifid CrestwortLophocolea bidentata
Crenulated FlapwortSolenostoma gracillimum
Heath Plait-mossHypnum jutlandicum
Silky Forklet-mossDicranella heteromalla
Olive Beard-mossDidymodon tophaceus
Alpine HaircapPolytrichastrum alpinum
Common ThreadwortCephaloziella divaricata
RedshankCeratodon purpureus
Cape Thread-mossOrthodontium lineare
Whiskered VeilwortMetzgeria consanguinea
Aloe HaircapPogonatum aloides
Neat Feather-mossPseudoscleropodium purum
Tall-clustered Thread-mossBryum pallescens
Dwarf Feather-mossMicroeurhynchium pumilum
Swartz's Feather-mossOxyrrhynchium hians
Wall Screw-mossTortula muralis
Greater Fork-mossDicranum majus
Matted Feather-mossSciuro-hypnum populeum
Sessile GrimmiaSchistidium apocarpum
Red Beard-mossBryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum
Rusty Swan-neck MossCampylopus flexuosus
Lesser FeatherwortPlagiochila porelloides var. porelloides
Common PouchwortCalypogeia fissa
Marsh BryumBryum pseudotriquetrum
Fissidens bryoides var. bryoidesFissidens bryoides var. bryoides
Straggling PouchwortSaccogyna viticulosa
Forked VeilwortMetzgeria furcata
Wall Feather-mossRhynchostegium murale
Common PincushionDicranoweisia cirrata
Dilated ScalewortFrullania dilatata
Big Shaggy-mossHylocomiadelphus triquetrus
Shady EarwortScapania umbrosa
Wry-leaved Tamarisk-mossHeterocladium heteropterum
Crescent-cup LiverwortLunularia cruciata
Yellow Fringe-mossRacomitrium aciculare
Streblotrichum convolutum var. commutatumStreblotrichum convolutum var. commutatum
Little Shaggy-mossRhytidiadelphus loreus
Deptford PinkDianthus armeria2025