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← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Rail Copse

✦ Ancient woodland99 ha

📷 David Hawgood · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome99 ha

Getting here

51.78931, -0.59277

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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 nearby — easy to reach by car

Good to know

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

Best for

10 activities

Wildlife

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

Free

Bird watching

Birds — Shoveler, Wigeon, Pochard +69 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Shoveler, Wigeon, Pochard +69 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Pasqueflower · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Lowland heathland — silver-studded blue and heath fritillary butterflies; Insects — Red-legged Shieldbug, Western Honey Bee, Eristalis pertinax +48 more · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Foraging

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

22 signed routes nearby · 51 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
The RidgewayWalking route140 km
Named routeRef RWLength 140 kmNational walking route
The Chiltern WayWalking route275 km

A waymarked long-distance footpath in southern England

Named routeRef CWLength 275 kmRegional walking route
Grand Union Canal WalkWalking route

Napton to Coy Carp section

Named routeRegional walking route
Icknield Way PathWalking route169 km

long distance footpath 169 km

Named routeLength 169 kmRegional walking route
Outer Aylesbury RingWalking route
Named routeRegional walking route
🚴

Cycling

7 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Ashridge Estate Family Cycle TrailCycling route
Named routeRound tripLocal cycle route
Hemel Hempstead cycle route 7Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route 6Cycling route
Named routeRef 6Local cycle route
Chilterns CyclewayCycling route
Named routeRound tripRegional cycle route
Route 5Cycling route
Named routeRef 5Local cycle route
Route 30Cycling route
Named routeRef 30Regional cycle route
🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby
Icknield Way Cycle TrailMountain bike route226 km

This is the off-road or mountain cycling route of the Icknield Way Trail.

Named routeLength 226 kmRegional cycle route
🐴

Horse riding

57 public paths nearby

Public paths
The Beechesbridleway · 457 m
Public pathbridlewayLength 457 mSurface dirtPath type: bridleway
Bywayrestricted byway · 756 m
Public pathrestricted bywayLength 756 mPath type: bridleway
Bywaybyway open to all traffic · 129 m
Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 129 mSurface groundPath type: track
Bywaybyway open to all traffic · 431 m
Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 431 mSurface unpavedPath type: bridleway
Cart Horse Lane (or the North Arm)byway open to all traffic · 393 m
Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 393 mSurface unpavedIncline 0%Path type: service

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Copse on Northchurch Common

📷 David Hawgood · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Copse on Northchurch Common

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Canal Fields parkUrban park3.3 km→✦Berkhamsted CastleHistoric site3.7 km→✦Berkhamsted motte and bailey castleHistoric site3.7 km→🌱Spider ParkUrban park4.8 km→✦Two barrows at Bridgewater MonumentHistoric site2.1 km→✦Bridgewater MonumentHistoric site2.1 km→

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