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Rats Wood

✦ Ancient woodland11 ha

📷 Robin Webster · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsForaging
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome11 ha

Getting here

51.09978, -0.12595

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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

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

Free

Bird watching

Birds — Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Goldfinch +69 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Goldfinch +69 more · last seen 2026

Free

Foraging

Plants — Common Sorrel, Bramble, Hazel +12 more foraging species; Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Seasonal nature

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Ground-ivy, Red Fescue, Common Bent +85 more · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Lowland meadows — marbled white, meadow brown and pollinating insects; Insects — Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Scathophaga stercoraria +2 more · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

9 signed routes nearby · 6 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
William Robinson Woodland TrailWalking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Crawley GreenwayWalking route

walking route around Crawley along many leafy paths, signposted

Named routeLocal walking route
Worth WayWalking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Tandridge Border PathWalking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Standen to Selsfield Common, StandenWalking route13.6 km

This 8.5-mile walk is ideal for experienced walkers. The route takes you around Selsfield Common, a heathland habitat of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), along country paths and through wildlife-rich woodlands.

Named routeLength 13.6 kmDuration 03:00Round tripLocal walking route
Standinghall Lanepublic footpath · 691 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 691 mSurface compactedPath type: track
Standinghall Lanepublic footpath · 710 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 710 mSurface compactedPath type: track
Standinghall Lanepublic footpath · 272 m
Public pathpublic footpathLength 272 mSurface compactedPath type: track
🚴

Cycling

131 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Route KCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route J (incomplete)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route JCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route F (incomplete)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route DCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route BCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby
Tilgate Forest SingletrackMountain bike route
Named route

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Stacked wood by Standinghall Lane

📷 Robin Webster · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Stacked wood by Standinghall Lane

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🏞️TILGATE PARKCountry park3.8 km→🌱Tilgate ParkUrban park3.7 km→🌱Waterlea MeadowUrban park3 km→🌱Maidenbower ParkUrban park1.9 km→🌱Gratton's ParkUrban park3.9 km→🌱Tilgate ParkUrban park3.9 km→

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