← Back🦉 Nature reserve

THE FLASHES

115 ha

📷 Colin Smith · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifeDogs

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome115 ha

Getting here

51.15075, -0.76612

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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
🐕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

☀️June — long evenings and clear skies; one of the most rewarding months for a late visit
🐕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

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Best for

6 activities

Bird watching

Strong match

Nature reserve

Free

Wildlife

Strong match

Nature reserve

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed — nature reserve

Free

Forest walks

Strong match

Nature reserve

Free

Seasonal nature

Good match

Nature reserve — seasonal wildlife and habitats

Free

Picnic day out

Moderate match

Nature reserve — public outdoor space

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

20 signed routes nearby · 16 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Alice Holt Forest: Easy Access TrailWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Alice Holt Forest: Lodge Pond TrailWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

The Shipwrights WayWalking route

A long distance route which links villages and towns in east Hampshire. The name reflects the use of oak grown at Alice Holt Forest for Tudor shipbuilding.

Named routeRegional walking route

Greensand WayWalking route

Named routeRef GWRegional walking route

Highcombe Hike, HindheadWalking route5.1 km

Take a challenging walk through ancient woodland and open heath to find out how the Punch Bowl was formed. On the way learn about the people who lived in the old 'broom-squires' cottages and how they made their living here over the centuries.

Named routeLength 5.1 kmDuration 01:15-03:00Round tripLocal walking route

🚴

Cycling

22 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

A3 Cycle RouteCycling route

Named routeRef A3Local cycle route

Route 22Cycling route

Named routeRef 22National Cycle Network

Route 224Cycling route

Named routeRef 224National Cycle Network

Main RouteCycling route732 m

Named routeRef 22Length 732 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route616 m

Named routeRef 22Length 616 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route15 m

Named routeRef 22Length 15 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

🚵

Mountain biking

6 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

King Alfred's WayMountain 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 routeRegional cycle route

Alice Holt Forest: Family Cycle RouteMountain bike route

Named routeRef Family Cycle RouteLocal cycle route

Bordon Off Road Cycle TrailMountain bike route

Named routeHampshire off Road cycle trails

Cycle Surrey Hills - Elstead LoopMountain bike route

Named routeRegional cycle route

Shipwright's WayMountain bike route

Named route

Devils PunchBowl LoopMountain bike route

Named routeCycle surrey hills

🐴

Horse riding

15 public paths nearby

Public paths

Sandy Lanebyway open to all traffic · 512 m

Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 512 mSurface asphaltPath type: unclassified

Sandy Lanebyway open to all traffic · 726 m

Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 726 mSurface asphaltPath type: residential

Sandy Lanebyway open to all traffic · 10 m

Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 10 mSurface asphaltPath type: unclassified

Sandy Lanebyway open to all traffic · 518 m

Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 518 mSurface dirtPath type: track

Sandy Lanebyway open to all traffic · 137 m

Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 137 mSurface asphaltPath type: unclassified

Wildlife to spot

23,531 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

23,531 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds57 species

summerautumn

2026

Black-headed Gull · Coot · Mute Swan · Carrion Crow · Grey Heron +52

Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
CootFulica atra2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Great TitParus major2025
MagpiePica pica2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Common TernSterna hirundo2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
SwiftApus apus2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
Black TernChlidonias niger2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
Mandarin DuckAix galericulata2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025

🦎

Reptiles2 species

winterspring

2026

Common Lizard · Grass Snake

Common LizardZootoca vivipara
Grass SnakeNatrix helvetica

🐝

Insects1 species

autumn

2025

Polietes

PolietesPolietes

🌿

Plants4 species

autumn

2025

Sand Sedge · Autumn Hawkbit · Common Centaury · Common Stork's-bill

Sand SedgeCarex arenaria
Autumn HawkbitScorzoneroides autumnalis
Common CentauryCentaurium erythraea
Common Stork's-billErodium cicutarium

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

23,531 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds57 species

summerautumn

2026

Black-headed Gull · Coot · Mute Swan · Carrion Crow · Grey Heron +52

Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
CootFulica atra2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
Great TitParus major2025
MagpiePica pica2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
SwallowHirundo rustica2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti2025
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
Sand MartinRiparia riparia2025
Common TernSterna hirundo2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
SwiftApus apus2025
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos2025
Black TernChlidonias niger2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
Mandarin DuckAix galericulata2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025

🦎

Reptiles2 species

winterspring

2026

Common Lizard · Grass Snake

Common LizardZootoca vivipara
Grass SnakeNatrix helvetica

🐝

Insects1 species

autumn

2025

Polietes

PolietesPolietes

🌿

Plants4 species

autumn

2025

Sand Sedge · Autumn Hawkbit · Common Centaury · Common Stork's-bill

Sand SedgeCarex arenaria
Autumn HawkbitScorzoneroides autumnalis
Common CentauryCentaurium erythraea
Common Stork's-billErodium cicutarium

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Colin Smith · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

The Flashes

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Frensham CommonUrban park2.3 km→🏞️FRENSHAMCountry park1.2 km→🌱Tilford GreenUrban park3.7 km→✦Bridge, east end of Tilford CommonHistoric site3.8 km→🌱Redhearn GreenUrban park1.7 km→🌱The Sculpture ParkUrban park800 m→