Horsleys Wood ✦ Ancient woodland 4 ha
Plan your visit
🦅 Birds🦉 Wildlife🐶 Dogs
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 4 ha
Places › England › Eastern › North Hertfordshire Getting here
51.86114, -0.29840
Open directionsv Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🐦 70+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Jackdaw and Woodpigeon 🐕 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 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🐦 70+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Jackdaw and Woodpigeon 🐕 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 £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🌿 Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow +67 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow +67 more · last seen 2025
Free
🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Black Nightshade, Lesser Celandine, Dwarf Spurge +2 more · last seen 2025
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Meadow Brown, Large White, Gatekeeper +30 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Meadow Brown, Large White, Gatekeeper +30 more · last seen 2026
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 15 signed routes nearby · 10 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
The Chiltern Way Walking route 275 km ▾
A waymarked long-distance footpath in southern England
Named route Ref CW Length 275 km Regional walking route
Show on map Lea Valley Circle Walking route 4.3 km ▾
Walk over the River Lea and gaze across its valley. One of the main rivers in Hertfordshire, it rises as a chalk stream – one of only 200 or so in the world.
Named route Length 4.3 km Round trip Local walking route
Show on map Above the Lea Valley Walking route 6.5 km ▾
From quiet woods to expansive views over the Lea valley, this walk includes Gustard Wood at the northern tip of Wheathampstead and the Grade I splendour of Mackerye End.
Named route Length 6.5 km Round trip Local walking route
Show on map Nickey Line Walking route ▾
Former Chiltern Way Walking route ▾
Former route of Chiltern Way, removed in June 2022. Left in mapping for information, especially if people are using old guidebooks
Named route Ref CWex Local walking route
Show on map 30 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 12 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 12 National Cycle Network
Show on map Route 6 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 6 National Cycle Network
Show on map NCN National Route 57 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 57 National Cycle Network
Show on map Recreational Cycle Route 16 Cycling route ▾
Local circular? cycle route
Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Chilterns Cycleway Cycling route ▾
Named route Round trip Regional cycle route
Show on map Ayot Greenway Cycling route ▾
2 public paths nearby
Public paths
No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.
✦ Ancient woodland — continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD. A rare and irreplaceable habitat, rich in biodiversity and historical character.
Photos Pile of Pitprops next to Cuckolds Cottage
‹ ›
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
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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
7,677 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 7,677 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 50 species
spring autumn winter
2025 ▾
Woodpigeon · Jackdaw · Carrion Crow · Magpie · Blackbird +45
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Carrion Crow Corvus corone Magpie Pica pica Blackbird Turdus merula Rook Corvus frugilegus Rock Dove Columba livia Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Robin Erithacus rubecula Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Linnet Linaria cannabina Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Dunnock Prunella modularis Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Skylark Alauda arvensis Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Goldcrest Regulus regulus Starling Sturnus vulgaris Jay Garrulus glandarius Whitethroat Curruca communis2024 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2024 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2024 Crossbill Loxia curvirostra Redwing Turdus iliacus Coal Tit Periparus ater Herring Gull Larus argentatus Common Gull Larus canus Nuthatch Sitta europaea Siskin Spinus spinus Fieldfare Turdus pilaris Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Raven Corvus corax Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2024 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2024 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla2024 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris2024 Swallow Hirundo rustica2024 Gadwall Mareca strepera2024 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea2024 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus2024 Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava2024 Great Tit Parus major2024 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2024 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2024 🦌 Mammals 4 species
spring summer autumn winter
2025 ▾
Grey Squirrel · Fallow Deer · Muntjac · Brown Hare
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Fallow Deer Dama dama Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi Brown Hare Lepus europaeus2024 Gatekeeper · Large White · Meadow Brown · Small White · Red Admiral +17
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus2024 Large White Pieris brassicae2024 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina2024 Small White Pieris rapae2024 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta2024 Peacock Aglais io 🌿 Plants 2 species
spring autumn
2025 ▾
Black Nightshade · Lesser Celandine
Black Nightshade Solanum nigrum Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 7,677 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 50 species
spring autumn winter
2025 ▾
Woodpigeon · Jackdaw · Carrion Crow · Magpie · Blackbird +45
Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Carrion Crow Corvus corone Magpie Pica pica Blackbird Turdus merula Rook Corvus frugilegus Rock Dove Columba livia Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Robin Erithacus rubecula Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Linnet Linaria cannabina Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Dunnock Prunella modularis Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Skylark Alauda arvensis Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Goldcrest Regulus regulus Starling Sturnus vulgaris Jay Garrulus glandarius Whitethroat Curruca communis2024 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2024 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2024 Crossbill Loxia curvirostra Redwing Turdus iliacus Coal Tit Periparus ater Herring Gull Larus argentatus Common Gull Larus canus Nuthatch Sitta europaea Siskin Spinus spinus Fieldfare Turdus pilaris Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Raven Corvus corax Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2024 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2024 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla2024 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris2024 Swallow Hirundo rustica2024 Gadwall Mareca strepera2024 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea2024 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus2024 Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava2024 Great Tit Parus major2024 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2024 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2024 🦌 Mammals 4 species
spring summer autumn winter
2025 ▾
Grey Squirrel · Fallow Deer · Muntjac · Brown Hare
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Fallow Deer Dama dama Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi Brown Hare Lepus europaeus2024 Gatekeeper · Large White · Meadow Brown · Small White · Red Admiral +17
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus2024 Large White Pieris brassicae2024 Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina2024 Small White Pieris rapae2024 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta2024 Peacock Aglais io 🌿 Plants 2 species
spring autumn
2025 ▾
Black Nightshade · Lesser Celandine
Black Nightshade Solanum nigrum Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
2024
2024
Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus2024
Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus2024
Purple Hairstreak Favonius quercus2024
Purple Hairstreak Favonius quercus2024
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria2024
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria2024
Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris2024
Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris2024
Marbled White Melanargia galathea2024
Marbled White Melanargia galathea2024
Eyed Ladybird Anatis ocellata
Eyed Ladybird Anatis ocellata
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata2025
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata2025
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus2024
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus2024
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas2024
Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas2024
Brown Argus Aricia agestis2024
Brown Argus Aricia agestis2024
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus2024
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus2024
Comma Polygonia c-album2024
Comma Polygonia c-album2024
Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia2024
Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia2024
Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus2024
Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus2024
Cream-spot Ladybird Calvia quattuordecimguttata2024
Cream-spot Ladybird Calvia quattuordecimguttata2024 