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Moretoin Castle

WildlifeBirdsForaging

Dogs welcome

Getting here

52.88899, -2.52000

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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
🌿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

🌞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

🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

7 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Wigeon, Robin, Blue Tit +75 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Wigeon, Robin, Blue Tit +75 more · last seen 2025

Free

Foraging

Strong match

Plants — Bulrush, Elder, Pedunculate Oak +24 more foraging species; Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Alder, Crested Dog's-tail, Reed Sweet-grass +164 more · last seen 2024; Plants — Alder, Crested Dog's-tail, Reed Sweet-grass +164 more · last seen 2024

Free

Mushroom foraging

Strong match

Fungi — Puccinia circaeae, Pucciniastrum circaeae, Oak Mildew +5 more · last seen 2024; Fungi — Puccinia circaeae, Pucciniastrum circaeae, Oak Mildew +5 more · last seen 2024

Varies

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — 7-spot Ladybird, Harlequin Ladybird, 16-spot Ladybird +40 more · last seen 2025; Insects — 7-spot Ladybird, Harlequin Ladybird, 16-spot Ladybird +40 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby

Newcastle WayWalking route40 km

Market Drayton to Mow Cop

Named routeLength 40 kmRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

9 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

NCN 552Cycling route

Named routeRef 552National Cycle Network

hodnet-market draytonCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Main RouteCycling route573 m

Named routeRef 552Length 573 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route1.1 km

Named routeRef 552Length 1.1 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route65 m

Named routeRef 552Length 65 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route6.9 km

Named routeRef 552Length 6.9 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Wildlife to spot

11,615 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

11,615 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds48 species

springsummer

2025

Woodpigeon · Blue Tit · Carrion Crow · Jackdaw · Pheasant +43

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
JackdawColoeus monedula
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
MagpiePica pica
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
RobinErithacus rubecula
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Stock DoveColumba oenas
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
SwallowHirundo rustica
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
RookCorvus frugilegus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Mandarin DuckAix galericulata
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
BlackbirdTurdus merula
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
CuckooCuculus canorus
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
DunnockPrunella modularis
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
LinnetLinaria cannabina
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
NuthatchSitta europaea
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Great TitParus major
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
RavenCorvus corax
Sand MartinRiparia riparia
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
ShelduckTadorna tadorna
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
House SparrowPasser domesticus
JayGarrulus glandarius
Garden WarblerSylvia borin
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
CootFulica atra
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Strix aluco sylvaticaStrix aluco sylvatica

🦌

Mammals3 species

winter

2026

Mole · Otter · Rabbit

MoleTalpa europaea
OtterLutra lutra
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2025

🐝

Insects28 species

summer

2025

7-spot Ladybird · Harlequin Ladybird · 14-spot Ladybird · 10-spot Ladybird · 2-spot Ladybird +23

7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
14-spot LadybirdPropylea quattuordecimpunctata
10-spot LadybirdAdalia decempunctata
2-spot LadybirdAdalia bipunctata
22-spot LadybirdPsyllobora vigintiduopunctata
24-spot LadybirdSubcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata
16-spot LadybirdTytthaspis sedecimpunctata
Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens
Common EarwigForficula auricularia/dentata agg.
Rhyzobius lituraRhyzobius litura
Pine LadybirdExochomus quadripustulatus
Roesel's Bush-cricketRoeseliana roeselii
Meadow GrasshopperPseudochorthippus parallelus
Common Green GrasshopperOmocestus viridulus
Stethorus pusillusStethorus pusillus
Cream-spot LadybirdCalvia quattuordecimguttata
Pseudolimnophila lucorumPseudolimnophila lucorum
Ptychoptera contaminataPtychoptera contaminata
Blue-tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans
Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus
Ptychoptera albimanaPtychoptera albimana
Brown HawkerAeshna grandis
Long-winged Cone-headConocephalus fuscus
Scymnus suturalisScymnus suturalis
Cream-streaked LadybirdHarmonia quadripunctata
Adonis' LadybirdHippodamia variegata
Oak Bush-cricketMeconema thalassinum

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

11,615 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds48 species

springsummer

2025

Woodpigeon · Blue Tit · Carrion Crow · Jackdaw · Pheasant +43

WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
JackdawColoeus monedula
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
MagpiePica pica
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
RobinErithacus rubecula
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Stock DoveColumba oenas
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
SwallowHirundo rustica
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
RookCorvus frugilegus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Mandarin DuckAix galericulata
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
BlackbirdTurdus merula
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
CuckooCuculus canorus
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
DunnockPrunella modularis
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
LinnetLinaria cannabina
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
NuthatchSitta europaea
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Great TitParus major
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
RavenCorvus corax
Sand MartinRiparia riparia
Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
ShelduckTadorna tadorna
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
House SparrowPasser domesticus
JayGarrulus glandarius
Garden WarblerSylvia borin
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
CootFulica atra
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Strix aluco sylvaticaStrix aluco sylvatica

🦌

Mammals3 species

winter

2026

Mole · Otter · Rabbit

MoleTalpa europaea
OtterLutra lutra
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus2025

🐝

Insects28 species

summer

2025

7-spot Ladybird · Harlequin Ladybird · 14-spot Ladybird · 10-spot Ladybird · 2-spot Ladybird +23

7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
14-spot LadybirdPropylea quattuordecimpunctata
10-spot LadybirdAdalia decempunctata
2-spot LadybirdAdalia bipunctata
22-spot LadybirdPsyllobora vigintiduopunctata
24-spot LadybirdSubcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata
16-spot LadybirdTytthaspis sedecimpunctata
Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens
Common EarwigForficula auricularia/dentata agg.
Rhyzobius lituraRhyzobius litura
Pine LadybirdExochomus quadripustulatus
Roesel's Bush-cricketRoeseliana roeselii
Meadow GrasshopperPseudochorthippus parallelus
Common Green GrasshopperOmocestus viridulus
Stethorus pusillusStethorus pusillus
Cream-spot LadybirdCalvia quattuordecimguttata
Pseudolimnophila lucorumPseudolimnophila lucorum
Ptychoptera contaminataPtychoptera contaminata
Blue-tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans
Field GrasshopperChorthippus brunneus
Ptychoptera albimanaPtychoptera albimana
Brown HawkerAeshna grandis
Long-winged Cone-headConocephalus fuscus
Scymnus suturalisScymnus suturalis
Cream-streaked LadybirdHarmonia quadripunctata
Adonis' LadybirdHippodamia variegata
Oak Bush-cricketMeconema thalassinum

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Richard Law · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Castle Hill earthwork, Fordhall Farm

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Town ParkUrban park2.7 km→✦PELL WALLHistoric site2.7 km→🌱Damson Wood WalkUrban park1.1 km→🌱Christchurch ParkUrban park1.5 km→🌱Dalelands PlaygroundUrban park1.6 km→🌱Market Drayton Swimming CentreUrban park2.8 km→

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