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← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Horkesley Plantation

6 ha

📷 John Lemay · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsInsects
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome6 ha

Getting here

51.93367, 0.88335

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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
  • 🅿️Parking 321m away — 2 car parks within reach

Good to know

  • £Free to visit — no entry charge
  • 🐕Dogs welcome
Parking

Best for

8 activities

Wildlife

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

Free

Bird watching

Birds — Blue Tit, Blackbird, Great Tit +54 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Blue Tit, Blackbird, Great Tit +54 more · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Insects — Stag Beetle, Rosemary Beetle, Lily Beetle +212 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Stag Beetle, Rosemary Beetle, Lily Beetle +212 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Plants — Japanese Knotweed, Bluebell, Elder +33 more · last seen 2022; Plants — Japanese Knotweed, Bluebell, Elder +33 more · last seen 2022

Free

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Foraging

Plants — Elder, Hawthorn, Hazel +7 more foraging species; Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

14 signed routes nearby · 17 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Colchester Orbital West BWalking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital West AWalking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital Spoke (North)Walking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital Spoke (West)Walking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital Spoke (South)Walking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Essex Waypublic footpath · 404 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 404 mPath type: footway
Essex Waypublic footpath · 394 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 394 mPath type: footway
Broad Lanepublic footpath · 438 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 438 mPath type: track
🚴

Cycling

98 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
NCN 51Cycling route
Named routeRef 51National Cycle Network
Greenstead to North StationCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
EuroVelo 2 - Capitals Route - part United Kingdom 8Cycling route
Named routeRef EV2International cycle route
Colchester Orbital CycleCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Colchester Orbital Cycle Spoke (South-East)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Colchester Orbital Cycle Spoke (North East)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Agricultural Reservoir near Great Horkesley

📷 John Lemay · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Agricultural Reservoir near Great Horkesley

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Castle ParkUrban park4.9 km→🌱High Woods Country ParkUrban park3.5 km→🌱Castle ParkUrban park4.5 km→🌱Lower Castle ParkUrban park4.7 km→✦COLCHESTER CASTLE PARKHistoric site4.7 km→🌱Victorian Shrub GardenUrban park4.8 km→

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