Shephall Leisure Centre 3 ha
Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🦋 Insects
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 3 ha
Places › England › Eastern › Stevenage Getting here
51.88934, -0.17059
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 🅿️ Ridlins Field 50m away — 20 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 🅿️ Ridlins Field 50m away — 20 car parks within reach £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie +61 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Magpie +61 more · last seen 2025
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small White +66 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small White +66 more · last seen 2025
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Plants — Lords-and-Ladies, Himalayan Balsam, Lesser Celandine +18 more · last seen 2025; Plants — Lords-and-Ladies, Himalayan Balsam, Lesser Celandine +18 more · last seen 2025
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic; Plants — White Dead-nettle, Red Dead-nettle, Hazel
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 20 signed routes nearby · 3 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
STOOP Link Path 2 - Stevenage Outer Orbital Path Link Walking route ▾
A link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 3 o'clock on clockface)
Named route
Show on map STOOP Link Path 3 - Stevenage Outer Orbital Path Link Walking route ▾
A link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 4 o'clock on clockface)
Named route
Show on map STOOP Link Path 1 - Stevenage Outer Orbital Path Link Walking route ▾
A link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 2 o'clock on clockface)
Named route
Show on map STOOP Link Path 8 - Stevenage Outer Orbital Path Link Walking route ▾
Link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 11 o'clock on clockface)
Named route Local walking route
Show on map Woodland Trail Walking route ▾
35 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 12 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 12 National Cycle Network
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 53 m ▾
Named route Ref 12 Length 53 m National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 769 m ▾
Named route Ref 12 Length 769 m National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 337 m ▾
Named route Ref 12 Length 337 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 1.1 km ▾
Named route Ref 12 Length 1.1 km National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 1.2 km ▾
Named route Ref 12 Length 1.2 km National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map Photos Taywood Close at the junction of Shephall Way
‹ ›
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
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id: 0351a7b6-3c0d-4c3a-b70c-5d90649d3a39
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
Wildlife to spot
33,767 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 33,767 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 33 species
spring summer autumn
2025 ▾
Carrion Crow · Magpie · Woodpigeon · Blue Tit · Robin +28
Carrion Crow Corvus corone Magpie Pica pica Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Robin Erithacus rubecula Rock Dove Columba livia Starling Sturnus vulgaris Blackbird Turdus merula Canada Goose Branta canadensis Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Coot Fulica atra Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Mute Swan Cygnus olor Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii Rook Corvus frugilegus Little Egret Egretta garzetta Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Herring Gull Larus argentatus Greylag Goose Anser anser Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Great Tit Parus major Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla House Sparrow Passer domesticus Mole
🐸 Amphibians 1 species
winter
2026 ▾
Common Frog
Common Frog Rana temporaria 7-spot Ladybird · Green Shieldbug · Dock Bug · Harlequin Ladybird · 14-spot Ladybird +31
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina Dock Bug Coreus marginatus Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis 14-spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata Harmonia axyridis form succinea Harmonia axyridis form succinea Field Grasshopper 🌿 Plants 2 species
summer autumn
2025 ▾
Himalayan Balsam · Sainfoin
Himalayan Balsam Impatiens glandulifera Sainfoin Onobrychis viciifolia Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 33,767 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 33 species
spring summer autumn
2025 ▾
Carrion Crow · Magpie · Woodpigeon · Blue Tit · Robin +28
Carrion Crow Corvus corone Magpie Pica pica Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Robin Erithacus rubecula Rock Dove Columba livia Starling Sturnus vulgaris Blackbird Turdus merula Canada Goose Branta canadensis Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Coot Fulica atra Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Mute Swan Cygnus olor Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii Rook Corvus frugilegus Little Egret Egretta garzetta Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Herring Gull Larus argentatus Greylag Goose Anser anser Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Great Tit Parus major Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla House Sparrow Passer domesticus Mole
🐸 Amphibians 1 species
winter
2026 ▾
Common Frog
Common Frog Rana temporaria 7-spot Ladybird · Green Shieldbug · Dock Bug · Harlequin Ladybird · 14-spot Ladybird +31
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina Dock Bug Coreus marginatus Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis 14-spot Ladybird Propylea quattuordecimpunctata Harmonia axyridis form succinea Harmonia axyridis form succinea Field Grasshopper 🌿 Plants 2 species
summer autumn
2025 ▾
Himalayan Balsam · Sainfoin
Himalayan Balsam Impatiens glandulifera Sainfoin Onobrychis viciifolia Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Chorthippus brunneus
Chorthippus brunneus
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Wool Carder Bee Anthidium manicatum
Wool Carder Bee Anthidium manicatum
Macropsis Macropsis
Macropsis Macropsis
Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata
Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata
Strawberry-blossom Weevil Anthonomus rubi
Strawberry-blossom Weevil Anthonomus rubi
Clover Seed Weevil Protapion trifolii
Clover Seed Weevil Protapion trifolii
White Clover Seed Weevil Protapion fulvipes
White Clover Seed Weevil Protapion fulvipes
Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
22-spot Ladybird Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata
22-spot Ladybird Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata
Dark Bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera
Dark Bush-cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera
Eupteryx filicum Eupteryx filicum
Eupteryx filicum Eupteryx filicum
Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus
Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus
Pterostichus niger Pterostichus niger
Pterostichus niger Pterostichus niger
Willow Emerald Damselfly Chalcolestes viridis
Willow Emerald Damselfly Chalcolestes viridis
Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea
Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea
Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
Common Red Soldier Beetle Rhagonycha fulva
Sarcophaga Sarcophaga
Sarcophaga Sarcophaga
Syrphus Syrphus
Syrphus Syrphus
Eupeodes Eupeodes
Eupeodes Eupeodes
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Red-tailed Bumblebee Bombus lapidarius
Volucella pellucens Volucella pellucens
Volucella pellucens Volucella pellucens
Adonis' Ladybird Hippodamia variegata
Adonis' Ladybird Hippodamia variegata
Tychius junceus Tychius junceus
Tychius junceus Tychius junceus
Polydrusus formosus Polydrusus formosus
Polydrusus formosus Polydrusus formosus
Cabbage Stem Weevil Ceutorhynchus pallidactylus
Cabbage Stem Weevil Ceutorhynchus pallidactylus
Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus
Lesser Stag Beetle Dorcus parallelipipedus
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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