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← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Olivers Spinney

✦ Ancient woodland63 ha

📷 Glyn Baker · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome63 ha

Getting here

51.85148, 0.85521

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

  • ☀️June — canopy now fully closed, creating cool dappled shade even on warm days
  • 🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
  • 🅿️Parking 87m away — 6 car parks within reach

Good to know

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

Best for

8 activities

Wildlife

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

Free

Bird watching

Birds — Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Robin +94 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Robin +94 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour

Free

Insect spotting

Lowland meadows — marbled white, meadow brown and pollinating insects; Insects — Ruddy Darter, Eristalis pertinax, Banded Demoiselle +22 more · last seen 2025

Free

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Foraging

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

12 signed routes nearby · 25 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Colchester Orbital West BWalking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital West AWalking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital Spoke (North)Walking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital Spoke (West)Walking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital Spoke (South)Walking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Oaks Endpublic footpath · 154 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 154 mSurface fine_gravelPath type: service
LdlH 32public footpath · 234 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 234 mPath type: footway
Stanway 31public footpath · 402 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 402 mPath type: footway
🚴

Cycling

112 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
NCN 51Cycling route
Named routeRef 51National Cycle Network
Greenstead to North StationCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
EuroVelo 2 - Capitals Route - part United Kingdom 8Cycling route
Named routeRef EV2International cycle route
Colchester Orbital CycleCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Colchester Orbital Cycle Spoke (South-East)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Colchester Orbital Cycle Spoke (North East)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
🐴

Horse riding

17 public paths nearby

Public paths
Olivers Lanebridleway · 413 m
Public pathbridlewayLength 413 mSurface gravelPath type: track
Leas Lanebridleway · 631 m
Public pathbridlewayLength 631 mSurface groundPath type: bridleway
Leas Lanebridleway · 262 m
Public pathbridlewayLength 262 mPath type: track

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Barn near Olivers

📷 Glyn Baker · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Barn near Olivers

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Weather for this location

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🐄Colchester ZooVisitor farm1.9 km→🌱Westlands Country ParkUrban park2.4 km→🌱Garrison greenswardUrban park3.8 km→✦The Benedictine Abbey of St JohnHistoric site4.9 km→✦Gosbecks Iron Age and Romano-British siteHistoric site1.5 km→🌱Cheshunt FieldUrban park1.7 km→

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