Plan your visit
🦅Birds🦉Wildlife🛝Family
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome86 ha
Getting here
52.24864, -0.88821
Open directionsv
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦60+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon
- ☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
- ☕The Old Grocery Espresso Bar — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦60+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon
- ☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
- ☕The Old Grocery Espresso Bar — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food
- £Free to visit — no entry charge
- 🐕Dogs welcome
🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch +57 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds
Free
Birds — Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch +57 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland priority habitat
Free
🛝Family friendly
Strong match
playground, café; Urban park — family destination
Free
Dogs allowed with public access
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km3 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Nene WayWalking route177 km▾
Named routeLength 177 kmRegional walking route
Midshires WayWalking route370 km▾
Multi-use trail links the Ridgeway National Trail with the Trans Pennine Trail
Named routeLength 370 kmRegional walking route
Northamptonshire RoundWalking route▾
156 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 536Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 536National Cycle Network
Brampton Valley WayCycling route▾
Northampton Cycle Network Connect2Cycling route▾
Named routeRef Connect2Local cycle route
Route 6Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 6National Cycle Network
NorbitalCycling route▾
Named routeRef 539Round tripNational Cycle Network
Main RouteCycling route874 m▾
Named routeRef 539Length 874 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt
Photos
The Racecourse and Northampton SW: aerial 2014
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
Events & activities nearby
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Wildlife to spot
36,302 records · National Biodiversity Network
Wildlife to spot
36,302 records · National Biodiversity NetworkGoldfinch · Magpie · Rock Dove · Carrion Crow · Robin +41
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- MagpiePica pica
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Great TitParus major
- Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- Common GullLarus canus
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- CootFulica atra
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- NuthatchSitta europaea
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- SiskinSpinus spinus
Grey Squirrel
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
🐸Amphibians1 species
spring
2026▾
Smooth Newt
- Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris
Dark-edged Bee-fly · Meliscaeva auricollis
- Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
- Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis
Green Alkanet · Common Field-speedwell · Maidenhair Spleenwort · Stinking Iris · Lesser Celandine +5
- Green AlkanetPentaglottis sempervirens
- Common Field-speedwellVeronica persica
- Maidenhair SpleenwortAsplenium trichomanes
- Stinking IrisIris foetidissima
- Lesser CelandineFicaria verna
- CowslipPrimula veris
- Garden Grape-hyacinth
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot
36,302 records · National Biodiversity NetworkGoldfinch · Magpie · Rock Dove · Carrion Crow · Robin +41
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- MagpiePica pica
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- Great TitParus major
- Herring GullLarus argentatus
- Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- Common GullLarus canus
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- Greylag GooseAnser anser
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- CootFulica atra
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- GreenfinchChloris chloris
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- Tawny OwlStrix aluco
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- NuthatchSitta europaea
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
- Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- SiskinSpinus spinus
Grey Squirrel
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
🐸Amphibians1 species
spring
2026▾
Smooth Newt
- Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris
Dark-edged Bee-fly · Meliscaeva auricollis
- Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
- Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis
Green Alkanet · Common Field-speedwell · Maidenhair Spleenwort · Stinking Iris · Lesser Celandine +5
- Green AlkanetPentaglottis sempervirens
- Common Field-speedwellVeronica persica
- Maidenhair SpleenwortAsplenium trichomanes
- Stinking IrisIris foetidissima
- Lesser CelandineFicaria verna
- CowslipPrimula veris
- Garden Grape-hyacinth
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Muscari armeniacum
Muscari armeniacum
YarrowAchillea millefoliumYarrowAchillea millefoliumRed Dead-nettleLamium purpureumRed Dead-nettleLamium purpureumSweet VioletViola odorataSweet VioletViola odorata