Reading Abbey: a Cluniac and Benedictine monastery and Civil War earthwork. 5 ha
Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🦋 Insects
Free entry Dogs welcome 5 ha
Places › England › South East › Reading Getting here
51.45661, -0.96560
Open directionsv ✦ Scheduled Ancient Monument — Nationally protected archaeological site on the National Heritage List for England (NHLE). Scheduled monuments represent the best surviving examples of England's irreplaceable archaeological heritage.
Archaeological site scheduled monument
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ ☀️ June — long evenings and clear skies; one of the most rewarding months for a late visit ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting ☕ Forbury Kitchen — a good base for a longer summer day out 🌤️ Visiting this summer
☀️ June — long evenings and clear skies; one of the most rewarding months for a late visit ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting ☕ Forbury Kitchen — a good base for a longer summer day out £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🚲 Bike parking☕ Café🅿️ Parking· Paid 🚻 Toilets
🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Woodpigeon, Canada Goose, Mute Swan +54 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Canada Goose, Mute Swan +54 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Jersey Tiger, 7-spot Ladybird, Common Blue Damselfly +103 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Jersey Tiger, 7-spot Ladybird, Common Blue Damselfly +103 more · last seen 2026
Free
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 7 signed routes nearby · 19 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
The Chiltern Way Southern Extension Walking route ▾
Long distance path
Named route Ref CWS Regional walking route
Show on map European walking route E2 west, UK, South East England Walking route ▾
Westroute: Stranraer (UK) - Birminhgham (UK) - Calais (FR) - Zoersel (BE) / Eastroute: Stranraer (UK) - Harwich (UK) - Rotterdam (NL) - Zoersel (BE) / Both Routes: Zoersel (BE) - Maastrich (NL) - Luxembourg (LUX) - Lake Geneva (CH) - Nice (FR)
Named route Ref E2 International walking route
Show on map Kennet and Avon Canal Trail Walking route 140 km ▾
Rivers linked by a canal. The name refers to the entire navigable length. From Bristol the way is the Avon. The canal is from Bath to Newbury. From there to Reading the way is the Kennet. 53 locks to Summit Pound (150 m asl) and 54 down to Reading.
Named route Ref K&A Length 140 km Regional walking route
Show on map The Wokingham Way Walking route ▾
Named route Regional walking route
Show on map St James' Way Walking route 110 km ▾
Named route Ref SJW Length 110 km Regional walking route
Show on map 159 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
National Cycle Network Route 5 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 5 National Cycle Network
Show on map Route 19 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 19 Local cycle route
Show on map Link to NCN 4 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref NCN4 Link Local cycle route
Show on map Woodley, Earley Cycling route ▾
Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Route CR5 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref CR5 Local cycle route
Show on map Earley Useful Cycle Routes Cycling route ▾
1 signed route nearby
Signed route nearby
King Alfred's Way Mountain bike route ▾
King Alfreds Way is 350km (220 miles) off road route designed to be ridden clockwise. It starts & ends in Winchester. It is suitable for gravel or cross-country bikes.
Named route Regional cycle route
Show on map Photos Tunnel from Forbury Gardens to Reading Abbey
‹ ›
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
All Historic
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© 2026 Glade · Made with care for UK green spaces
Wildlife to spot
45,653 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 45,653 records · National Biodiversity Network Canada Goose · Mute Swan · Magpie · Mallard · Woodpigeon +38
Canada Goose Branta canadensis Mute Swan Cygnus olor2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Robin Erithacus rubecula Greylag Goose Anser anser2025 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus2025 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula2025 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Coot Fulica atra2025 Jay Garrulus glandarius2025 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Little Egret Egretta garzetta2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca2025 Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Starling Sturnus vulgaris2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 House Sparrow Passer domesticus Snow Goose Anser caerulescens2025 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii2025 Common Gull Larus canus2025 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis2025 Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla2025 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Gadwall Mareca strepera2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Coal Tit Periparus ater2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2025 Rook Corvus frugilegus2025 🦌 Mammals 6 species
winter spring autumn
2026 ▾
Brown Rat · Pipistrelle Bat species · American Mink · Mole · Grey Squirrel +1
Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus Pipistrelle Bat species Pipistrellus2025 American Mink Neovison vison Mole Talpa europaea Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis2025 🐸 Amphibians 1 species
autumn
2025 ▾
Common Frog
Common Frog Rana temporaria Common Plume · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Rose Chafer · Psectrotanypus varius · Epistrophe eligans +5
Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major Rose Chafer Cetonia aurata Psectrotanypus varius Psectrotanypus varius Epistrophe eligans Epistrophe eligans Meliscaeva auricollis Meliscaeva auricollis Minotaur Beetle Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 45,653 records · National Biodiversity Network Canada Goose · Mute Swan · Magpie · Mallard · Woodpigeon +38
Canada Goose Branta canadensis Mute Swan Cygnus olor2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Robin Erithacus rubecula Greylag Goose Anser anser2025 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus2025 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula2025 Moorhen Gallinula chloropus2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus2025 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Coot Fulica atra2025 Jay Garrulus glandarius2025 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Little Egret Egretta garzetta2025 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca2025 Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Starling Sturnus vulgaris2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata2025 Great Tit Parus major2025 House Sparrow Passer domesticus Snow Goose Anser caerulescens2025 Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii2025 Common Gull Larus canus2025 Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis2025 Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla2025 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Blackbird Turdus merula2025 Gadwall Mareca strepera2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Coal Tit Periparus ater2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2025 Rook Corvus frugilegus2025 🦌 Mammals 6 species
winter spring autumn
2026 ▾
Brown Rat · Pipistrelle Bat species · American Mink · Mole · Grey Squirrel +1
Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus Pipistrelle Bat species Pipistrellus2025 American Mink Neovison vison Mole Talpa europaea Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis2025 🐸 Amphibians 1 species
autumn
2025 ▾
Common Frog
Common Frog Rana temporaria Common Plume · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Rose Chafer · Psectrotanypus varius · Epistrophe eligans +5
Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major Rose Chafer Cetonia aurata Psectrotanypus varius Psectrotanypus varius Epistrophe eligans Epistrophe eligans Meliscaeva auricollis Meliscaeva auricollis Minotaur Beetle Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Pipistrelle
Pipistrelle
Pipistrellus pipistrellus2025
Pipistrellus pipistrellus2025
Typhaeus typhoeus
Typhaeus typhoeus
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum2025
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum2025
Southern Oak Bush-cricket Meconema meridionale2025
Southern Oak Bush-cricket Meconema meridionale2025
Cream-spot Ladybird Calvia quattuordecimguttata2025
Cream-spot Ladybird Calvia quattuordecimguttata2025 Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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