← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Lower Hamstead Plantation

✦ Ancient woodland8 ha

📷 Shaun Ferguson · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifeInsects

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome8 ha

Getting here

50.70379, -1.43297

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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 nearby — easy to reach by car

🌤️ 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 nearby — easy to reach by car

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome
🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat

Parking· Free

Best for

9 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Mudflats — internationally important for wading birds and wildfowl; Birds — Blue Tit, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker +81 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Lowland meadows — marbled white, meadow brown and pollinating insects; Insects — Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, Broad-bodied Chaser +33 more · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour

Free

Foraging

Good match

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

15 signed routes nearby · 13 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Isle of Wight Coastal PathWalking route113 km

Named routeLength 113 kmRound tripRegional walking route

Worsley TrailWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Tennyson TrailWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Compton Bay and Downs Walk, Isle of WightWalking route12 km

Enjoy far-reaching views on this walk over Afton, Brook & Compton Downs. Follow in the footsteps of dinosaurs & look for their fossilised remains along the coast. Uneven pathways, hilly terrain, gates, stiles & steps. Dogs welcome on leads near livestock

Named routeLength 12 kmDuration 03:00-03:30Round tripLocal walking route

Discover Dansbury trail, Isle of WightWalking route5.4 km

A walk over farmland & the Dunsbury Estate. Magnificent coastal views & a chance to learn about the island's coastguard. Watch out for birds such as skylarks and butterflies such as the Glanville fritillary.

Named routeLength 5.4 kmDuration 01:30-02:00Round tripLocal walking route

Hamstead Drivepublic footpath · 8 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 8 mSurface gravelPath type: track

Hamstead Drivepublic footpath · 652 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 652 mSurface gravelPath type: track

Hamstead Roadpublic footpath · 399 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 399 mPath type: unclassified

🚴

Cycling

7 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Round the Island RouteCycling route

Named routeRef 67Regional cycle route

Cowes (Route 4)Cycling route

Named routeRef 4Local cycle route

Yarmouth/Freshwater (Route 1)Cycling route

Named routeRef 1Local cycle route

N/ACycling route1.9 km

Named routeRef 67Length 1.9 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedloose

N/ACycling route176 m

Named routeRef 67Length 176 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedloose

N/ACycling route844 m

Named routeRef 67Length 844 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedloose

🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Chalk Ridge ExtremeMountain bike route

Named route

Wildlife to spot

20,114 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

20,114 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds58 species

winter

2026

Chaffinch · Redwing · Dunnock · Great Spotted Woodpecker · Goldcrest +53

ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
RedwingTurdus iliacus
DunnockPrunella modularis
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
BlackbirdTurdus merula
RobinErithacus rubecula
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor
KingfisherAlcedo atthis
GreenfinchChloris chloris
ShelduckTadorna tadorna
LapwingVanellus vanellus
Great TitParus major
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Dark-bellied Brent GooseBranta bernicla bernicla2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarola2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Common GullLarus canus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
GreenshankTringa nebularia2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
KnotCalidris canutus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025

🦌

Mammals2 species

winter

2026

Red Squirrel · Red Fox

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
Red FoxVulpes vulpes2025

🐸

Amphibians2 species

winterspring

2026

Common Toad · Smooth Newt

Common ToadBufo bufo
Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris

🐝

Insects4 species

spring

2026

7-spot Ladybird · Eristalis pertinax · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Harlequin Ladybird

7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

20,114 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds58 species

winter

2026

Chaffinch · Redwing · Dunnock · Great Spotted Woodpecker · Goldcrest +53

ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
RedwingTurdus iliacus
DunnockPrunella modularis
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
BlackbirdTurdus merula
RobinErithacus rubecula
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor
KingfisherAlcedo atthis
GreenfinchChloris chloris
ShelduckTadorna tadorna
LapwingVanellus vanellus
Great TitParus major
Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Dark-bellied Brent GooseBranta bernicla bernicla2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarola2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Common GullLarus canus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
GreenshankTringa nebularia2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
KnotCalidris canutus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025

🦌

Mammals2 species

winter

2026

Red Squirrel · Red Fox

Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris
Red FoxVulpes vulpes2025

🐸

Amphibians2 species

winterspring

2026

Common Toad · Smooth Newt

Common ToadBufo bufo
Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris

🐝

Insects4 species

spring

2026

7-spot Ladybird · Eristalis pertinax · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Harlequin Ladybird

7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Shaun Ferguson · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Hamstead Drive

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦Medieval settlement and cultivation remains at NewtownHistoric site2.6 km→🌱The CommonUrban park4.2 km→🌱Memorial GardenUrban park4.3 km→✦Yarmouth CastleHistoric site4.7 km→🌱Calbourne Village GreenUrban park3.6 km→🐄The Animal BarnVisitor farm3.7 km→

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