War Memorial Recreation Ground
Plan your visit
🦅Birds🛝Family🦉Wildlife
Public accessDogs welcome
Getting here
50.92497, -2.30887
Open directionsv
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦68+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Robin
- ☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
- 🐾Holebrooks Fine Food on site — a good way to combine wildlife and an animal visit in the same trip
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦68+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Robin
- ☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
- 🐾Holebrooks Fine Food on site — a good way to combine wildlife and an animal visit in the same trip
🅿️Parking· Free🛝Playground🚻Toilets🐄Farm visit
🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Woodpigeon, Robin, Great Tit +65 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland — woodpeckers, warblers and woodland birds
Free
🛝Family friendly
Strong match
playground, toilets; Playing field
Free
Birds — Woodpigeon, Robin, Great Tit +65 more · last seen 2025; Deciduous woodland priority habitat
Free
playground, toilets, parking
Free
🦋Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral +37 more · last seen 2025
Free
Dogs allowed with public access
Free
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km2 signed routes nearby · 20 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Wessex RidgewayWalking route▾
Named routeRef WRRegional walking route
Stour Valley WayWalking route100 km▾
Named routeRef SVWLength 100 kmRegional walking route
Ham Lanepublic footpath · 140 m▾
Public pathpublic footpathLength 140 mPath type: track
Colber Bridgepublic footpath · 28 m▾
Public pathpublic footpathLength 28 mPath type: footway
Coach Roadpublic footpath · 348 m▾
Public pathpublic footpathLength 348 mPath type: footway
15 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 25Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 25National Cycle Network
North Dorset TrailwayCycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
National Cycle Network 250Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 250National Cycle Network
North Dorset Cycle WayCycling route▾
Named routeRegional cycle route
Main RouteCycling route47 m▾
Named routeRef 25Length 47 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt
Main RouteCycling route566 m▾
Named routeRef 25Length 566 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt
1 signed route nearby
Signed route nearby
Wessex Ridgeway TrailMountain bike route▾
Named routeListed length 207km
2 public paths nearby
Public paths
North Dorset Trailwaybridleway · 5 m▾
Public pathbridlewayLength 5 mSurface gravelPath type: track
North Dorset Trailwaybridleway · 1.3 km▾
Public pathbridlewayLength 1.3 kmSurface gravelPath type: track
Photos
Sturminster Cheese Festival
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
Wildlife to spot
41,065 records · National Biodiversity Network
Wildlife to spot
41,065 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds45 species
summerautumnwinter
2025▾
Woodpigeon · Goldfinch · Carrion Crow · Great Tit · Chaffinch +40
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Great TitParus major
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- MagpiePica pica
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- GreenfinchChloris chloris
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- SwallowHirundo rustica
- House MartinDelichon urbicum
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- LinnetLinaria cannabina
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Marsh TitPoecile palustris
- Herring GullLarus argentatus
- CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- NuthatchSitta europaea
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- SwiftApus apus
- RavenCorvus corax
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- WhitethroatCurruca communis
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
🦌Mammals2 species
springautumn
2025▾
Hedgehog · Brown Hare
- HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
- Brown HareLepus europaeus
🐸Amphibians2 species
summerautumn
2026▾
Great Crested Newt · Common Frog
- Great Crested NewtTriturus cristatus2025
- Common FrogRana temporaria
🐝Insects17 species
springsummer
2025▾
White-legged Damselfly · Southern Hawker · Banded Demoiselle · Hornet · Emperor Dragonfly +12
- White-legged DamselflyPlatycnemis pennipes
- Southern HawkerAeshna cyanea
- Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens
- HornetVespa crabro
- Emperor DragonflyAnax imperator
- Beautiful DemoiselleCalopteryx virgo
Turnip · Meadow Buttercup · Cuckooflower · Bulbous Buttercup · Common Sorrel +20
- TurnipBrassica rapa
- Meadow ButtercupRanunculus acris
- CuckooflowerCardamine pratensis
- Bulbous ButtercupRanunculus bulbosus
- Common SorrelRumex acetosa
- Meadow FoxtailAlopecurus pratensis
- BrambleRubus fruticosus
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot
41,065 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds45 species
summerautumnwinter
2025▾
Woodpigeon · Goldfinch · Carrion Crow · Great Tit · Chaffinch +40
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone
- Great TitParus major
- ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- JackdawColoeus monedula
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- DunnockPrunella modularis
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- MagpiePica pica
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula
- GreenfinchChloris chloris
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
- SwallowHirundo rustica
- House MartinDelichon urbicum
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- LinnetLinaria cannabina
- SkylarkAlauda arvensis
- Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
- Marsh TitPoecile palustris
- Herring GullLarus argentatus
- CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
- RedwingTurdus iliacus
- NuthatchSitta europaea
- RookCorvus frugilegus
- PheasantPhasianus colchicus
- JayGarrulus glandarius
- Mute SwanCygnus olor
- BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
- MoorhenGallinula chloropus
- SwiftApus apus
- RavenCorvus corax
- Rock DoveColumba livia
- Stock DoveColumba oenas
- WhitethroatCurruca communis
- Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
🦌Mammals2 species
springautumn
2025▾
Hedgehog · Brown Hare
- HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
- Brown HareLepus europaeus
🐸Amphibians2 species
summerautumn
2026▾
Great Crested Newt · Common Frog
- Great Crested NewtTriturus cristatus2025
- Common FrogRana temporaria
🐝Insects17 species
springsummer
2025▾
White-legged Damselfly · Southern Hawker · Banded Demoiselle · Hornet · Emperor Dragonfly +12
- White-legged DamselflyPlatycnemis pennipes
- Southern HawkerAeshna cyanea
- Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens
- HornetVespa crabro
- Emperor DragonflyAnax imperator
- Beautiful DemoiselleCalopteryx virgo
Turnip · Meadow Buttercup · Cuckooflower · Bulbous Buttercup · Common Sorrel +20
- TurnipBrassica rapa
- Meadow ButtercupRanunculus acris
- CuckooflowerCardamine pratensis
- Bulbous ButtercupRanunculus bulbosus
- Common SorrelRumex acetosa
- Meadow FoxtailAlopecurus pratensis
- BrambleRubus fruticosus
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Glow-worm
Glow-worm
Lampyris noctiluca
Lampyris noctiluca
Rose ChaferCetonia aurataRose ChaferCetonia aurataHarlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridisHarlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridisBox BugGonocerus acuteangulatusBox BugGonocerus acuteangulatus2-spot LadybirdAdalia bipunctata2-spot LadybirdAdalia bipunctataMeadow GrasshopperPseudochorthippus parallelusMeadow GrasshopperPseudochorthippus parallelus7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctataBrown HawkerAeshna grandisBrown HawkerAeshna grandisScarce ChaserLibellula fulvaScarce ChaserLibellula fulvaBlack-headed Cardinal BeetlePyrochroa coccineaBlack-headed Cardinal BeetlePyrochroa coccineaBloody-nosed BeetleTimarcha tenebricosaBloody-nosed BeetleTimarcha tenebricosaSoft-rushJuncus effususSoft-rushJuncus effususSpindleEuonymus europaeusSpindleEuonymus europaeusCock's-footDactylis glomerataCock's-footDactylis glomerataScarlet PimpernelLysimachia arvensisScarlet PimpernelLysimachia arvensisCreeping ThistleCirsium arvenseCreeping ThistleCirsium arvenseDandelionTaraxacumDandelionTaraxacumEnglish ElmUlmus proceraEnglish ElmUlmus proceraLesser CelandineFicaria vernaLesser CelandineFicaria vernaWild CherryPrunus aviumWild CherryPrunus aviumGoat WillowSalix capreaGoat WillowSalix capreaCreeping ButtercupRanunculus repensCreeping ButtercupRanunculus repensDog-roseRosa caninaDog-roseRosa caninaLords-and-LadiesArum maculatumLords-and-LadiesArum maculatumHorse-chestnutAesculus hippocastanumHorse-chestnutAesculus hippocastanumRed Dead-nettleLamium purpureumRed Dead-nettleLamium purpureumMeadowsweetFilipendula ulmariaMeadowsweetFilipendula ulmariaAlderAlnus glutinosaAlderAlnus glutinosaRed CampionSilene dioicaRed CampionSilene dioicaEvents & activities nearby
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