Plan your visit
🦅 Birds🧺 Picnic✦ Heritage
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 10 ha
Getting here
52.42954, -2.83172
Open directionsv Stokesay Castle is one of the finest surviving fortified manor houses in England, and situated at Stokesay in Shropshire. It was largely built in its present form in the late 13th century by Laurence of Ludlow, on the earlier castle founded by its original owners the de Lacy family, from whom it passed to their de Verdun heirs, who retained feudal overlordship of Stokesay until at least 1317. Laurence 'of' Ludlow was one of the leading wool merchants in England, who intended it to form a secure private house and generate income as a commercial estate.
Read more on Wikipedia → Castle Grade I listed building c. 1285
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🐦 72+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Blackbird and Jackdaw 🧺 Good picnic destination in summer — open space and facilities for a relaxed day out 🐕 Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🐦 72+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Blackbird and Jackdaw 🧺 Good picnic destination in summer — open space and facilities for a relaxed day out 🐕 Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🅿️ Parking🧺 Picnic spot🚻 Toilets
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Blackbird, Jackdaw, Robin +69 more · last seen 2025
Free
🧺 Picnic day out
Very strong match
picnic area, toilets, car park
Free
✦ Heritage
Very strong match
Grade I listed building: STOKESAY CASTLE AND GATEHOUSE INCLUDING MOAT RETAINING WALLS; Historic site with public access
Free
Birds — Blackbird, Jackdaw, Robin +69 more · last seen 2025
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Blue-tailed Damselfly, Small Red-eyed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly +40 more · last seen 2025
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Plants — Male-fern, Bracken, Broad Buckler-fern +110 more · last seen 2026
Free
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 4 signed routes nearby · 5 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
Shropshire Way - stage 05 Walking route 17.1 km ▾
Named route Ref ShW05 Length 17.1 km Local walking route
Show on map Herefordshire Trail Walking route 246.5 km ▾
Named route Length 246.5 km Regional walking route
Show on map Heart of Wales Line Trail Walking route ▾
Named route Regional walking route
Show on map Shropshire Way - stage 04 Walking route 18 km ▾
Named route Ref ShW04 Length 18 km Local walking route
Show on map 15 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 44 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 44 National Cycle Network
Show on map National Byway (Herefordshire) Cycling route ▾
National Byway in Herefordshire
Named route Ref NB Regional cycle route
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 1.5 km ▾
Named route Ref 44 Length 1.5 km National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 87 m ▾
Named route Ref 44 Length 87 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 82 m ▾
Named route Ref 44 Length 82 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 20 m ▾
Named route Ref 44 Length 20 m National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map 1 public path nearby
Public paths
No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
All Historic
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
8,157 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 8,157 records · National Biodiversity Network Jackdaw · Woodpigeon · Robin · Kingfisher · Chiffchaff +40
Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Robin Erithacus rubecula Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Carrion Crow Corvus corone Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Blackbird Turdus merula Rook Corvus frugilegus Magpie Pica pica Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus House Sparrow Passer domesticus Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Great Tit Parus major Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Swallow Hirundo rustica Dunnock Prunella modularis Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto House Martin Delichon urbicum Swift Apus apus Little Egret Egretta garzetta Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Greenfinch Chloris chloris Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Starling Sturnus vulgaris Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Goldcrest Regulus regulus Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Siskin Spinus spinus Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus Nuthatch Sitta europaea Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Sand Martin Riparia riparia Raven Corvus corax Stock Dove Columba oenas Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii 🐸 Amphibians 2 species
summer
2025 ▾
Common Frog · Common Toad
Common Frog Rana temporaria Common Toad Bufo bufo Small Red-eyed Damselfly · Emperor Dragonfly · Trioza centranthi · Migrant Hawker · Common Darter +7
Small Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma viridulum Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator Trioza centranthi Trioza centranthi Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis 🌿 Plants 3 species
winter autumn
2026 ▾
Snowdrop · Petty Spurge · Shining Crane's-bill
Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis Petty Spurge Euphorbia peplus2025 Shining Crane's-bill Geranium lucidum2025 Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 8,157 records · National Biodiversity Network Jackdaw · Woodpigeon · Robin · Kingfisher · Chiffchaff +40
Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Robin Erithacus rubecula Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Carrion Crow Corvus corone Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Blackbird Turdus merula Rook Corvus frugilegus Magpie Pica pica Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus House Sparrow Passer domesticus Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Great Tit Parus major Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Swallow Hirundo rustica Dunnock Prunella modularis Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto House Martin Delichon urbicum Swift Apus apus Little Egret Egretta garzetta Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Greenfinch Chloris chloris Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major Starling Sturnus vulgaris Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Goldcrest Regulus regulus Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Siskin Spinus spinus Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus Nuthatch Sitta europaea Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus Treecreeper Certhia familiaris Sand Martin Riparia riparia Raven Corvus corax Stock Dove Columba oenas Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii 🐸 Amphibians 2 species
summer
2025 ▾
Common Frog · Common Toad
Common Frog Rana temporaria Common Toad Bufo bufo Small Red-eyed Damselfly · Emperor Dragonfly · Trioza centranthi · Migrant Hawker · Common Darter +7
Small Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma viridulum Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator Trioza centranthi Trioza centranthi Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis 🌿 Plants 3 species
winter autumn
2026 ▾
Snowdrop · Petty Spurge · Shining Crane's-bill
Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis Petty Spurge Euphorbia peplus2025 Shining Crane's-bill Geranium lucidum2025 Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
Box Sucker Psylla buxi
Box Sucker Psylla buxi
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata
Willow Emerald Damselfly Chalcolestes viridis
Willow Emerald Damselfly Chalcolestes viridis Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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