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Tilgate Forest

✦ Ancient woodland44 ha

📷 Robin Webster · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

Mountain bikesWildlifeBirds
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome44 ha

Getting here

51.08595, -0.17502

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

  • 🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
  • 🚴Start cycling visits early on summer days — trails are best before the heat builds via Tilgate Forest Singletrack
  • 🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

  • £Free to visit — no entry charge
  • 🐕Dogs welcome
  • 🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat
Parking

Best for

10 activities

Mountain biking

4 MTB/downhill trail(s); Named MTB route nearby: Tilgate Forest Singletrack

Varies

Wildlife

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles

Free

Bird watching

Birds — Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird +64 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackbird +64 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Silver Birch, Holly, Bank Haircap +39 more · last seen 2026

Free

Insect spotting

Lowland heathland — silver-studded blue and heath fritillary butterflies; Insects — Minotaur Beetle, 7-spot Ladybird, Common Darter +11 more · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

8 signed routes nearby · 6 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Crawley GreenwayWalking route

walking route around Crawley along many leafy paths, signposted

Named routeLocal walking route
Sussex Ouse Valley WayWalking route67 km
Named routeLength 67 kmRegional walking route
Worth WayWalking route
Named routeLocal walking route
Accessible Route, NymansWalking route1.2 km

Nurtured for nearly 130 years, the garden features an internationally important plant collection containing species from around the world.

Named routeLength 1.2 kmRound tripLocal walking route
Iron Walk, NymansWalking route3.5 km
Named routeLength 3.5 kmDuration 01:00Round tripLocal walking route
🚴

Cycling

129 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Route KCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route J (incomplete)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route JCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route F (incomplete)Cycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route DCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Route ACycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby
Tilgate Forest SingletrackMountain bike route
Named route
🐴

Horse riding

9 public paths nearby

Public paths

No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Bottom of mountain bike trail, Tilgate Forest

📷 Robin Webster · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Bottom of mountain bike trail, Tilgate Forest

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Weather for this location

Next 14 days

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🏞️TILGATE PARKCountry park900 m→🌱Tilgate ParkUrban park1 km→🌱Waterlea MeadowUrban park2.7 km→🌱Alf Pegler walled gardenUrban park900 m→🌱Tilgate ParkUrban park1 km→🌱The Heather GardenUrban park1.1 km→

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Nearby reservoirs

💧

New Pond

South of Tilgate Forest

Medium523 m→

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