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Wanstead Flats

43 ha

📷 Brian Gotts · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

PicnicWildlifeBirds

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome43 ha

Getting here

51.55928, 0.02247

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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
🧺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

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

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Bike parkingParking· PaidPicnic spot

Best for

9 activities

Picnic day out

Very strong match

picnic area, car park; Urban park — open green space

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Magpie, Canada Goose, Mute Swan +76 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Magpie, Canada Goose, Mute Swan +76 more · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed with public access

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Firebug, Dark-edged Bee-fly, Epistrophe eligans +24 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Firebug, Dark-edged Bee-fly, Epistrophe eligans +24 more · last seen 2026

Free

Family friendly

Good match

picnic area; Urban park — family destination

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

25 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Lea Valley WalkWalking route

Transport for London's Section 1 of the Lea Valley Walk within London

Named routePoint-to-pointRegional walking route

The LineWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Green Link Walk (Section 2)Walking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Greenwich Meridian TrailWalking route440 km

A long-distance walk that follows the line of the Prime Meridian. Inaugurated in 2009, to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the Greenwich Meridian.

Named routeRef GMTLength 440 kmRegional walking route

Public Right of Way 74Walking route

Named routeRef 74Local walking route

🚴

Cycling

194 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

LCN 11 (quiet route)Cycling route

'Quiet' alternative route on Stratford to Leytonstone cycling route

Named routeRef 11Local cycle route

LCNCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

LCNCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

LCNCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

LCNCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

LCN 55Cycling route

Named routeRef 55Local cycle route

Wildlife to spot

66,469 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

66,469 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds53 species

autumnwinter

2026

Chaffinch · Magpie · Pied Wagtail · Canada Goose · Common Gull +48

ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
MagpiePica pica
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
RobinErithacus rubecula
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
CootFulica atra2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Great TitParus major
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
BlackbirdTurdus merula
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Caspian GullLarus cachinnans2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

winter

2026

Grey Squirrel · Wood Mouse · Red Fox

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Wood MouseApodemus sylvaticus
Red FoxVulpes vulpes

🐝

Insects7 species

winterspring

2026

Firebug · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Epistrophe eligans · Lesser Stag Beetle · Harlequin Ladybird +2

FirebugPyrrhocoris apterus
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
Epistrophe eligansEpistrophe eligans
Lesser Stag BeetleDorcus parallelipipedus
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

66,469 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds53 species

autumnwinter

2026

Chaffinch · Magpie · Pied Wagtail · Canada Goose · Common Gull +48

ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
MagpiePica pica
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Canada GooseBranta canadensis2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
RobinErithacus rubecula
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
CootFulica atra2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Great TitParus major
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
BlackbirdTurdus merula
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Caspian GullLarus cachinnans2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

winter

2026

Grey Squirrel · Wood Mouse · Red Fox

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Wood MouseApodemus sylvaticus
Red FoxVulpes vulpes

🐝

Insects7 species

winterspring

2026

Firebug · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Epistrophe eligans · Lesser Stag Beetle · Harlequin Ladybird +2

FirebugPyrrhocoris apterus
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
Epistrophe eligansEpistrophe eligans
Lesser Stag BeetleDorcus parallelipipedus
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Brian Gotts · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Dawn at Wanstead Flats

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Wanstead ParkUrban park1.7 km→🌱Wanstead ParkUrban park1.7 km→🌱Leyton Jubilee ParkUrban park3.3 km→🌱Canal ParkUrban park3.5 km→🌱Victoria ParkUrban park4.8 km→🌱Lloyd ParkUrban park4.9 km→

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