Purlshill Plantation 28 ha
Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🦋 Insects
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 28 ha
Places › England › Eastern › Braintree Getting here
51.97314, 0.60490
Open directionsv 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 🅿️ Summerfields Car Park 291m away — 2 car parks within reach 🌤️ Visiting this summer
☀️ 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 🅿️ Summerfields Car Park 291m away — 2 car parks within reach £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🦉 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 — Tawny Owl, Swift, Little Egret +75 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Tawny Owl, Swift, Little Egret +75 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Priority ponds — dragonflies, damselflies and aquatic invertebrates; Insects — Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Rosemary Beetle +89 more · last seen 2025
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Plants — Bluebell, Pedunculate Oak, Hyacinthoides +36 more · last seen 2018; Plants — Bluebell, Pedunculate Oak, Hyacinthoides +36 more · last seen 2018
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic; Plants — Pedunculate Oak, Hogweed, Elder +4 more foraging species
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 1 signed route nearby · 26 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
Colne Valley Path Walking route 37 km ▾
Named route Length 37 km Local walking route
Show on map Swan Chase public footpath · 39 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 39 m Path type: track
Show on map Swan Chase public footpath · 127 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 127 m Path type: track
Show on map New England public footpath · 48 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 48 m Path type: service
Show on map Photos Public footpath through Purlshill Plantation, Great Maplestead
‹ ›
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
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id: c938b0e9-c045-4923-88a9-daa9b39c1c52
UK green spaces mapped from open public data — so anyone can find the woodland, trail, or nature reserve closest to them.
© 2026 Glade · Made with care for UK green spaces
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Bookable tours Wildlife to spot
2,190 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 2,190 records · National Biodiversity Network Red-legged Partridge · Mallard · Robin · Blackbird · Woodpigeon +47
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa2024 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2025 Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Pheasant Phasianus colchicus2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Cuckoo Cuculus canorus2025 Swift Apus apus2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2024 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2024 Canada Goose Branta canadensis Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Greylag Goose Anser anser2025 Starling Sturnus vulgaris2024 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2024 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea2024 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus2024 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea2024 Little Egret Egretta garzetta2024 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus2024 Jay Garrulus glandarius2024 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2024 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2024 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii2024 Stock Dove Columba oenas2024 Skylark Alauda arvensis2024 Siskin Spinus spinus2024 Redwing Turdus iliacus2024 Common Gull Larus canus2024 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2025 Greenfinch Chloris chloris2025 House Martin Delichon urbicum2025 Barn Owl Tyto alba2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 Woodcock Scolopax rusticola2025 Rook Corvus frugilegus2024 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2024 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus2024 Marsh Tit Poecile palustris2024 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus2024 Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata2024 Teal Anas crecca2023 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis2023 Muntjac · Otter
Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi Otter Lutra lutra2023 🦎 Reptiles 2 species
summer autumn
2024 ▾
Common Lizard · Grass Snake
Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara Grass Snake Natrix helvetica 🐸 Amphibians 2 species
spring autumn
2025 ▾
Smooth Newt · Common Frog
Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris Common Frog Rana temporaria2024 Red-headed Cardinal Beetle · 14-spot Ladybird · 24-spot Ladybird · Green Shieldbug · Gatekeeper +13
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis2024 14-spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata2024 24-spot Ladybird Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata2024 Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina2024 Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus Purple Emperor Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 2,190 records · National Biodiversity Network Red-legged Partridge · Mallard · Robin · Blackbird · Woodpigeon +47
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa2024 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2025 Robin Erithacus rubecula2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Pheasant Phasianus colchicus2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Cuckoo Cuculus canorus2025 Swift Apus apus2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2024 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2024 Canada Goose Branta canadensis Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Greylag Goose Anser anser2025 Starling Sturnus vulgaris2024 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2024 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea2024 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus2024 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea2024 Little Egret Egretta garzetta2024 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus2024 Jay Garrulus glandarius2024 House Sparrow Passer domesticus2024 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2024 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii2024 Stock Dove Columba oenas2024 Skylark Alauda arvensis2024 Siskin Spinus spinus2024 Redwing Turdus iliacus2024 Common Gull Larus canus2024 Nuthatch Sitta europaea2025 Greenfinch Chloris chloris2025 House Martin Delichon urbicum2025 Barn Owl Tyto alba2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 Woodcock Scolopax rusticola2025 Rook Corvus frugilegus2024 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2024 Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus2024 Marsh Tit Poecile palustris2024 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus2024 Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata2024 Teal Anas crecca2023 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis2023 Muntjac · Otter
Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi Otter Lutra lutra2023 🦎 Reptiles 2 species
summer autumn
2024 ▾
Common Lizard · Grass Snake
Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara Grass Snake Natrix helvetica 🐸 Amphibians 2 species
spring autumn
2025 ▾
Smooth Newt · Common Frog
Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris Common Frog Rana temporaria2024 Red-headed Cardinal Beetle · 14-spot Ladybird · 24-spot Ladybird · Green Shieldbug · Gatekeeper +13
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis2024 14-spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata2024 24-spot Ladybird Subcoccinella vigintiquattuorpunctata2024 Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina2024 Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus Purple Emperor Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Apatura iris
Apatura iris
Comma Polygonia c-album
Comma Polygonia c-album
Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis2024
Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis2024
Polydrusus formosus Polydrusus formosus2024
Polydrusus formosus Polydrusus formosus2024
Xanthogramma pedissequum Xanthogramma pedissequum2024
Xanthogramma pedissequum Xanthogramma pedissequum2024
Sphaerophoria scripta Sphaerophoria scripta2024
Sphaerophoria scripta Sphaerophoria scripta2024
Syrphus Syrphus2024
Syrphus Syrphus2024
Common Leaf Weevil Phyllobius pyri2024
Common Leaf Weevil Phyllobius pyri2024
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum2024
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum2024
Green Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus2024
Green Nettle Weevil Phyllobius pomaceus2024
Graphopsocus cruciatus Graphopsocus cruciatus2024
Graphopsocus cruciatus Graphopsocus cruciatus2024
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata2024
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata2024
Rhombic Leatherbug Syromastus rhombeus2023
Rhombic Leatherbug Syromastus rhombeus2023 