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Wanstead Park Recreation Ground

1 ha

📷 David Howard · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsInsects

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome1 ha

Getting here

51.56759, 0.05314

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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
📍Open access throughout summer — no booking required

🌤️ 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
📍Open access throughout summer — no booking required

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕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 — Mallard, Robin, Mute Swan +73 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Mallard, Robin, Mute Swan +73 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Syrphus, Dark-edged Bee-fly, 24-spot Ladybird +157 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Syrphus, Dark-edged Bee-fly, 24-spot Ladybird +157 more · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed with public access

Free

Family friendly

Good match

Urban park — family destination

Free

Cycling

Good match

Named cycling route nearby: Cycleway 16

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

14 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Lea Valley WalkWalking route

Transport for London's Section 1 of the Lea Valley Walk within London

Named routePoint-to-pointRegional walking route

The LineWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Public Right of Way 74Walking route

Named routeRef 74Local walking route

Capital Ring link to West Ham stationWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Jubilee Greenway (section 5)Walking route

Named routeRef JGRegional walking route

🚴

Cycling

126 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Lee Valley VeloPark Road CircuitCycling route

Named routeRound tripPrivate

Roding Valley WayCycling route

Named routeRef RVW

LCNCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Cycleway 24Cycling route

Named routeRef C24Regional cycle route

Cycleway 16Cycling route

Named routeRef C16Regional cycle route

Route CCycling route

Named routeRef CRegional cycle route

Wildlife to spot

67,000 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

67,000 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds54 species

autumn

2026

Robin · Magpie · Jay · Mute Swan · Grey Heron +49

RobinErithacus rubecula
MagpiePica pica
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Great TitParus major
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
CootFulica atra2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
DunnockPrunella modularis
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
WhinchatSaxicola rubetra2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca curruca2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025

🦌

Mammals4 species

winterautumn

2026

Grey Squirrel · Red Fox · Wood Mouse · Hedgehog

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Red FoxVulpes vulpes
Wood MouseApodemus sylvaticus
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2025

🐝

Insects20 species

winterspringautumn

2026

Firebug · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Syrphus · Epistrophe eligans · Lesser Stag Beetle +15

FirebugPyrrhocoris apterus
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
SyrphusSyrphus
Epistrophe eligansEpistrophe eligans
Lesser Stag BeetleDorcus parallelipipedus
Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

67,000 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds54 species

autumn

2026

Robin · Magpie · Jay · Mute Swan · Grey Heron +49

RobinErithacus rubecula
MagpiePica pica
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Great TitParus major
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
CootFulica atra2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
DunnockPrunella modularis
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
WhinchatSaxicola rubetra2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
Lesser WhitethroatCurruca curruca2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
WhitethroatCurruca communis2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
WheatearOenanthe oenanthe2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025

🦌

Mammals4 species

winterautumn

2026

Grey Squirrel · Red Fox · Wood Mouse · Hedgehog

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Red FoxVulpes vulpes
Wood MouseApodemus sylvaticus
HedgehogErinaceus europaeus2025

🐝

Insects20 species

winterspringautumn

2026

Firebug · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Syrphus · Epistrophe eligans · Lesser Stag Beetle +15

FirebugPyrrhocoris apterus
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
SyrphusSyrphus
Epistrophe eligansEpistrophe eligans
Lesser Stag BeetleDorcus parallelipipedus
Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 David Howard · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Wanstead Park, Ilford

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Wanstead ParkUrban park800 m→🌱Wanstead ParkUrban park800 m→🌱Plashet ParkUrban park3 km→🌱Barking ParkUrban park3.4 km→🌱West Ham ParkUrban park4 km→🌱Ray ParkUrban park4.6 km→

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