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← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Marl Pits Sports Complex

1 ha
WildlifeForagingBirds
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome1 ha

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
  • 🌿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
Parking

Best for

8 activities

Wildlife

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

Free

Foraging

Plants — Hazel, Rowan, Raspberry +18 more foraging species; Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Bird watching

Birds — Robin, Blackbird, Woodpigeon +46 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Robin, Blackbird, Woodpigeon +46 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Insects — Small White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown +47 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Small White, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown +47 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Plants — Himalayan Balsam, Common Ragwort, Cleavers +125 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Himalayan Balsam, Common Ragwort, Cleavers +125 more · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

4 signed routes nearby · 33 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Mary Towneley LoopWalking route

Forms part of Pennine Bridleway National Trail

Named routeRegional walking route
Irwell Sculpture TrailWalking route
Named routeRegional walking route
Rossendale WayWalking route

A high-level route around Bacup, Rawtenstall, Haslingden and Whitworth in the Rossendale Valley, crossing the open moors and farmland of the South Pennines which roughly follows the Rossendale Borough boundary.

Named routeRegional walking route
Burnley WayWalking route
Named routeRef BuWRegional walking route
Conway Roadpublic footpath · 99 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 99 mPath type: residential
Chapel Hill Lanepublic footpath · 302 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 302 mPath type: track
Edge Lanepublic footpath · 238 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 238 mPath type: unclassified
🚴

Cycling

44 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Route 6Cycling route
Named routeRef 6National Cycle Network
Lancashire Cycleway (Southern Loop)Cycling route
Named routeRef 91Regional cycle route
Vos Stansfield Road - Cowpe RoadCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Blackburn Rd/Manchester Rd ACLCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Cycle routeCycling route
Named routeRef 661Local cycle route
Britannia GreenwayCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
🚵

Mountain biking

2 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Lee Quarry Red RouteMountain bike route
Named route
Lee Quarry Black RouteMountain bike route
Named route
🐴

Horse riding

3 public paths nearby

Public paths
Chapel Hill Lanebyway open to all traffic · 112 m
Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 112 mPath type: service
Chapel Hill Lanebyway open to all traffic · 628 m
Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 628 mPath type: track

Wildlife to spot

Photos

The upper playing fields at Marl Pits

The upper playing fields at Marl Pits

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