Stocking Spring
✦ Ancient woodland16 ha
Plan your visit
🦅Birds🦉Wildlife🍂Seasonal
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome16 ha
Getting here
51.88469, -0.11319
Open directionsv
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦73+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Blackcap and Robin
- 🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
- 📍Open access throughout summer — no booking required
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦73+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Blackcap and Robin
- 🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
- 📍Open access throughout summer — no booking required
- £Free to visit — no entry charge
- 🐕Dogs welcome
- 🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat
🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Blackcap, Robin, Blue Tit +70 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Blackcap, Robin, Blue Tit +70 more · last seen 2025
Free
🦉Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals
Free
🍂Seasonal nature
Strong match
Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Common Field-speedwell, Daisy, Shepherd's-purse +34 more · last seen 2025
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic; Plants — Red Dead-nettle, Common Chickweed, Hazel +3 more foraging species
Varies
Ancient woodland — historic landscape
Free
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km11 signed routes nearby · 11 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
STOOP Link Path 2 - Stevenage Outer Orbital Path LinkWalking route▾
A link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 3 o'clock on clockface)
Named route
STOOP Link Path 3 - Stevenage Outer Orbital Path LinkWalking route▾
A link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 4 o'clock on clockface)
Named route
STOOP Link Path 1 - Stevenage Outer Orbital Path LinkWalking route▾
A link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 2 o'clock on clockface)
Named route
Great Ashby Woodland WalkWalking route▾
Hertfordshire WayWalking route267 km▾
Long distance path
Named routeLength 267 kmRegional walking route
9 public paths nearby
Public paths
Cotton Lanebyway open to all traffic · 1.8 km▾
Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 1.8 kmPath type: track
Photos
View over the field to Stocking Spring
Weather for this location
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Wildlife to spot
14,562 records · National Biodiversity Network
Wildlife to spot
14,562 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds47 species
autumnwinter
2025▾
Robin · Woodpigeon · Skylark · Wren · Jackdaw +42
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Great TitParus major
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- LinnetLinaria cannabina
- NuthatchSitta europaea
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- RavenCorvus corax
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- MagpiePica pica
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- DunnockPrunella modularis2024
- Marsh TitPoecile palustris
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa
- Common GullLarus canus
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Little OwlAthene noctua
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
- Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2024
🦌Mammals4 species
winterspringautumn
2025▾
Fallow Deer · Grey Squirrel · Muntjac · Brown Hare
- Fallow DeerDama dama
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
- MuntjacMuntiacus reevesi
- Brown HareLepus europaeus
Green Shieldbug
- Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina
Common Field-speedwell · Garden Grape-hyacinth · White Dead-nettle · Tufted Hair-grass · Shepherd's-purse +11
- Common Field-speedwellVeronica persica
- Garden Grape-hyacinthMuscari armeniacum
- White Dead-nettleLamium album
- Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
- Shepherd's-purseCapsella bursa-pastoris
- Red Dead-nettleLamium purpureum
- Early-purple Orchid
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot
14,562 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds47 species
autumnwinter
2025▾
Robin · Woodpigeon · Skylark · Wren · Jackdaw +42
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- StonechatSaxicola rubicola
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Great TitParus major
- Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
- KestrelFalco tinnunculus
- LinnetLinaria cannabina
- NuthatchSitta europaea
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- RavenCorvus corax
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- MagpiePica pica
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- WoodcockScolopax rusticola
- DunnockPrunella modularis2024
- Marsh TitPoecile palustris
- Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa
- Common GullLarus canus
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Little EgretEgretta garzetta
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Little OwlAthene noctua
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
- Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2024
🦌Mammals4 species
winterspringautumn
2025▾
Fallow Deer · Grey Squirrel · Muntjac · Brown Hare
- Fallow DeerDama dama
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
- MuntjacMuntiacus reevesi
- Brown HareLepus europaeus
Green Shieldbug
- Green ShieldbugPalomena prasina
Common Field-speedwell · Garden Grape-hyacinth · White Dead-nettle · Tufted Hair-grass · Shepherd's-purse +11
- Common Field-speedwellVeronica persica
- Garden Grape-hyacinthMuscari armeniacum
- White Dead-nettleLamium album
- Tufted Hair-grassDeschampsia cespitosa
- Shepherd's-purseCapsella bursa-pastoris
- Red Dead-nettleLamium purpureum
- Early-purple Orchid
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Orchis mascula
Orchis mascula
GroundselSenecio vulgarisGroundselSenecio vulgarisCommon ChickweedStellaria mediaCommon ChickweedStellaria mediaWavy Bitter-cressCardamine flexuosaWavy Bitter-cressCardamine flexuosaLesser CelandineFicaria vernaLesser CelandineFicaria vernaGoat WillowSalix capreaGoat WillowSalix capreaDaisyBellis perennisDaisyBellis perennisHazelCorylus avellanaHazelCorylus avellanaScentless MayweedTripleurospermum inodorumScentless MayweedTripleurospermum inodorumCherry PlumPrunus cerasiferaCherry PlumPrunus cerasifera