Holy Cross Recreation Ground 2 ha
Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🐶 Dogs
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 2 ha
Places › England › Eastern › Basildon Getting here
51.58350, 0.47907
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 203m away — 4 car parks within reach 🌤️ 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 203m away — 4 car parks within reach £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🦉 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 — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow +51 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow +51 more · last seen 2026
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Bumblebee, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Buff-tailed Bumblebee +32 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Bumblebee, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Buff-tailed Bumblebee +32 more · last seen 2026
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 2 signed routes nearby · 6 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
Thames Estuary Path Walking route 46.6 km ▾
Named route Length 46.6 km National walking route
Show on map King Charles III England Coast Path: Tilbury to Southend-on-Sea Walking route ▾
Named route Ref ECP National walking route
Show on map Sovereign Park public footpath · 43 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 43 m Surface asphalt Path type: service
Show on map 44 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
NCN National Route 13 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 13 National Cycle Network
Show on map NCN National Route 13 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 13 National Cycle Network
Show on map National Cycle Route 16 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 16 National Cycle Network
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 123 m ▾
Named route Ref 13 Length 123 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 181 m ▾
Named route Ref 13 Length 181 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 934 m ▾
Named route Ref 16 Length 934 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
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id: 0a24ee98-d5ec-4fb6-95af-9fe07d5dfdf0
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
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Wildlife to spot
5,193 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 5,193 records · National Biodiversity Network Woodpigeon · Magpie · Carrion Crow · Herring Gull · Moorhen +32
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Jay Garrulus glandarius Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Starling Sturnus vulgaris2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Stock Dove Columba oenas2025 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Swallow Hirundo rustica2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2025 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea2025 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Tawny Owl Strix aluco2025 House Martin Delichon urbicum2025 Swift Apus apus2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Lesser Whitethroat Curruca curruca2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 🦌 Mammals 3 species
spring summer
2026 ▾
Grey Squirrel · Brown Rat · House Mouse
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis2025 Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus House Mouse Mus musculus2025 🦎 Reptiles 1 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Grass Snake
Grass Snake Natrix helvetica 🐸 Amphibians 2 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Smooth Newt · Great Crested Newt
Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus 🐝 Insects 12 species
spring summer
2026 ▾
Southern Green Shieldbug · Blue-tailed Damselfly · 7-spot Ladybird · Rhaphigaster nebulosa · Gatekeeper +7
Southern Green Shieldbug Nezara viridula2025 Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans2025 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata2025 Rhaphigaster nebulosa Rhaphigaster nebulosa Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus2025 Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 5,193 records · National Biodiversity Network Woodpigeon · Magpie · Carrion Crow · Herring Gull · Moorhen +32
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Jay Garrulus glandarius Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Starling Sturnus vulgaris2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Stock Dove Columba oenas2025 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Swallow Hirundo rustica2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2025 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea2025 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Tawny Owl Strix aluco2025 House Martin Delichon urbicum2025 Swift Apus apus2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Lesser Whitethroat Curruca curruca2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 🦌 Mammals 3 species
spring summer
2026 ▾
Grey Squirrel · Brown Rat · House Mouse
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis2025 Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus House Mouse Mus musculus2025 🦎 Reptiles 1 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Grass Snake
Grass Snake Natrix helvetica 🐸 Amphibians 2 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Smooth Newt · Great Crested Newt
Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus 🐝 Insects 12 species
spring summer
2026 ▾
Southern Green Shieldbug · Blue-tailed Damselfly · 7-spot Ladybird · Rhaphigaster nebulosa · Gatekeeper +7
Southern Green Shieldbug Nezara viridula2025 Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans2025 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata2025 Rhaphigaster nebulosa Rhaphigaster nebulosa Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus2025 Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Red Admiral
Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta2025
Vanessa atalanta2025
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella2025
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella2025
Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum2025
Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum2025
Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus2025
Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus2025
Carabus nemoralis Carabus nemoralis2025
Carabus nemoralis Carabus nemoralis2025
St Marks Fly Bibio marci2025
St Marks Fly Bibio marci2025
Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula2025
Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula2025 