← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Houghton Plantation

12 ha

📷 Dylan Chester · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

BirdsWildlifeForaging

Free entryDogs welcome12 ha

Getting here

54.58148, -1.66492

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦57+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Tree Sparrow and Great Tit
🌿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

🐦57+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Tree Sparrow and Great Tit
🌿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

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

5 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Tree Sparrow, Great Tit, Blue Tit +54 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Tree Sparrow, Great Tit, Blue Tit +54 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Foraging

Good match

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Himalayan Balsam, Water Avens, Cowslip · last seen 2022; Plants — Himalayan Balsam, Water Avens, Cowslip · last seen 2022

Free

Forest walks

Moderate match

Public woodland

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

3 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Teesdale Way (Middleton in Teesdale to Middlesbrough)Walking route

UK long distance footpath from Dufton to Warrenby.

Named routeRegional walking route

Way of Life - Gainford to EscombWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Locomotion & Historic ShildonWalking route

Named routeRound tripLocal walking route

🚴

Cycling

11 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Darlington LoopCycling route

Named routeRef LoopLocal cycle route

Locomotion WayCycling route3.2 km

Named routeLength 3.2 kmLocal cycle route

National Cycle Network Route 715Cycling route

Walney to Wear (via Bishop Auckland)

Named routeRef 715National Cycle Network

West Park Cycle RouteCycling route

Named routeRef WestLocal cycle route

Main RouteCycling route7.3 km

Named routeRef 715Length 7.3 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route1.5 km

Named routeRef 715Length 1.5 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedfirm

Wildlife to spot

3,465 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

3,465 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds33 species

springsummerwinter

2026

Great Tit · Blue Tit · Tree Sparrow · Stock Dove · Chiffchaff +28

Great TitParus major
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2024
Tree SparrowPasser montanus2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2024
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
RobinErithacus rubecula
DunnockPrunella modularis2024
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2024
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2024
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
RedwingTurdus iliacus2024
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
Coal TitPeriparus ater
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2024
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2024
WhitethroatCurruca communis2024
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2024
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2023
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2024
MagpiePica pica2024
Willow TitPoecile montanus2024
RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus2024
Barn OwlTyto alba2023
NuthatchSitta europaea2022
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2022
BramblingFringilla montifringilla2022
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2022
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2022

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

3,465 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds33 species

springsummerwinter

2026

Great Tit · Blue Tit · Tree Sparrow · Stock Dove · Chiffchaff +28

Great TitParus major
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2024
Tree SparrowPasser montanus2024
Stock DoveColumba oenas2024
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2024
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
RobinErithacus rubecula
DunnockPrunella modularis2024
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2024
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2024
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2024
SwallowHirundo rustica2024
JackdawColoeus monedula2024
RedwingTurdus iliacus2024
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
Coal TitPeriparus ater
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus2024
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2024
WhitethroatCurruca communis2024
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2024
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2023
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2024
MagpiePica pica2024
Willow TitPoecile montanus2024
RedstartPhoenicurus phoenicurus2024
Barn OwlTyto alba2023
NuthatchSitta europaea2022
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2022
BramblingFringilla montifringilla2022
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2022
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus2022

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Dylan Chester · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Houghton Plantation

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱East GreenUrban park3.6 km→✦Deserted medieval village of UlnabyHistoric site3.6 km→🌱The GreenUrban park2.2 km→⛪St Andrew's ChurchReligious grounds2.6 km→⛪St Michael's ChurchReligious grounds3.6 km→⛪Stone House ChapelReligious grounds3.8 km→

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