Watchcroft Copse ✦ Ancient woodland 38 ha
Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🦋 Insects
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 38 ha
Places › England › South East › West Berkshire Getting here
51.48057, -1.50994
Open directionsv 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 🐕 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
🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🐕 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 £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🌿 Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Strong match
Birds — Barn Owl, Bullfinch, Raven +31 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Barn Owl, Bullfinch, Raven +31 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Meadow Brown, Large White, Small White +121 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Meadow Brown, Large White, Small White +121 more · last seen 2025
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 2 signed routes nearby · 9 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
The Roman Way Walking route 274.5 km ▾
Named route Length 274.5 km Regional walking route
Show on map Lambourn Valley Way Walking route ▾
Named route Local walking route
Show on map 1 signed route nearby
Signed route nearby
Round Berkshire Cycle Route Cycling route ▾
Named route Regional cycle route
Show on map 4 public paths nearby
Public paths
White Shute byway open to all traffic · 2.7 km ▾
Public path byway open to all traffic Length 2.7 km Surface unpaved Path type: track
Show on map White Shute byway open to all traffic · 230 m ▾
Public path byway open to all traffic Length 230 m Surface unpaved Path type: track
Show on map ✦ Ancient woodland — continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD. A rare and irreplaceable habitat, rich in biodiversity and historical character.
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
All Historic
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UK green spaces mapped from open public data — so anyone can find the woodland, trail, or nature reserve closest to them.
© 2026 Glade · Made with care for UK green spaces
Wildlife to spot
7,471 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 7,471 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 20 species
winter spring summer
2026 ▾
Barn Owl · Raven · Red-legged Partridge · Bullfinch · Jackdaw +15
Barn Owl Tyto alba2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Rook Corvus frugilegus2025 Woodlark Lullula arborea2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Swift Apus apus2025 House Martin Delichon urbicum2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus2024 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2024 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2024 Blackbird Turdus merula2024 Whitethroat Curruca communis2024 Brown Hare · Roe Deer · Muntjac · Rabbit · Grey Squirrel +1
Brown Hare Lepus europaeus Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi2024 Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus2024 Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis2024 Field Vole Microtus agrestis2024 🐸 Amphibians 1 species
summer
2025 ▾
Common Frog
Common Frog Rana temporaria Meadow Brown · Silver Y · Ringlet · Large White · Small White +53
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina2024 Silver Y Autographa gamma Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus2024 Large White Pieris brassicae2024 Small White Pieris rapae2024 Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 7,471 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 20 species
winter spring summer
2026 ▾
Barn Owl · Raven · Red-legged Partridge · Bullfinch · Jackdaw +15
Barn Owl Tyto alba2025 Raven Corvus corax2025 Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Rook Corvus frugilegus2025 Woodlark Lullula arborea2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus2025 Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus2025 Swift Apus apus2025 House Martin Delichon urbicum2025 Song Thrush Turdus philomelos2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Kestrel Falco tinnunculus2024 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2024 Carrion Crow Corvus corone2024 Blackbird Turdus merula2024 Whitethroat Curruca communis2024 Brown Hare · Roe Deer · Muntjac · Rabbit · Grey Squirrel +1
Brown Hare Lepus europaeus Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi2024 Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus2024 Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis2024 Field Vole Microtus agrestis2024 🐸 Amphibians 1 species
summer
2025 ▾
Common Frog
Common Frog Rana temporaria Meadow Brown · Silver Y · Ringlet · Large White · Small White +53
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina2024 Silver Y Autographa gamma Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus2024 Large White Pieris brassicae2024 Small White Pieris rapae2024 Common Carpet Epirrhoe alternata Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Speckled Wood
Speckled Wood
Pararge aegeria2024
Pararge aegeria2024
Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
Straw Dot Rivula sericealis
Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella
Straw Grass-veneer Agriphila straminella
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus2024
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus2024
Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta
Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Cinerous Pearl Anania fuscalis
Cinerous Pearl Anania fuscalis
Common Marble Celypha lacunana
Common Marble Celypha lacunana
Common Blue Polyommatus icarus2024
Common Blue Polyommatus icarus2024
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus2024
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus2024
Green-veined White Pieris napi2024
Green-veined White Pieris napi2024
Marbled White Melanargia galathea2024
Marbled White Melanargia galathea2024
Mother of Pearl Patania ruralis
Mother of Pearl Patania ruralis
Volucella inanis Volucella inanis
Volucella inanis Volucella inanis
Aphrodes Aphrodes
Aphrodes Aphrodes
Suillia Suillia
Suillia Suillia
Bridgman’s Bean-galler Euura bridgmanii
Bridgman’s Bean-galler Euura bridgmanii
Dusky Sallow Eremobia ochroleuca
Dusky Sallow Eremobia ochroleuca
Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator
Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator
Grypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysi Grypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysi
Grypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysi Grypocoris (Lophyromiris) stysi
Platystoma seminationis Platystoma seminationis
Platystoma seminationis Platystoma seminationis
Macropsis scutellata Macropsis scutellata
Macropsis scutellata Macropsis scutellata
Dingy Footman Eilema griseola
Dingy Footman Eilema griseola
Brassy Long-horn Nemophora metallica
Brassy Long-horn Nemophora metallica
Eucosma hohenwartiana/fulvana/parvulana Eucosma hohenwartiana/fulvana/parvulana
Eucosma hohenwartiana/fulvana/parvulana Eucosma hohenwartiana/fulvana/parvulana
Sphaerophoria scripta Sphaerophoria scripta
Sphaerophoria scripta Sphaerophoria scripta
Lagria hirta Lagria hirta
Lagria hirta Lagria hirta
Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata
Little Grey Eudonia lacustrata
Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae
Cinnabar Tyria jacobaeae
Downland Villa Villa cingulata
Downland Villa Villa cingulata
Scaeva pyrastri Scaeva pyrastri
Scaeva pyrastri Scaeva pyrastri
Meadow Grasshopper Pseudochorthippus parallelus
Meadow Grasshopper Pseudochorthippus parallelus
Syrphus ribesii Syrphus ribesii
Syrphus ribesii Syrphus ribesii
Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Zygaena lonicerae
Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Zygaena lonicerae
Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella
Garden Grass-veneer Chrysoteuchia culmella
Brown-spot Grey Scoparia pyralella
Brown-spot Grey Scoparia pyralella
Aphrophora alni Aphrophora alni
Aphrophora alni Aphrophora alni
Grass Rivulet Perizoma albulata
Grass Rivulet Perizoma albulata
Six-spot Burnet Zygaena filipendulae
Six-spot Burnet Zygaena filipendulae
Burnet Companion Euclidia glyphica
Burnet Companion Euclidia glyphica
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major
Orange-footed Furrow Bee Lasioglossum xanthopus2024
Orange-footed Furrow Bee Lasioglossum xanthopus2024
Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus2024
Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus2024
Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis2024
Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis2024
Helophilus trivittatus Helophilus trivittatus2024
Helophilus trivittatus Helophilus trivittatus2024
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata2024
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata2024
Sphaerophoria Sphaerophoria2024
Sphaerophoria Sphaerophoria2024
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis2024
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis2024
Zygaena lonicerae/trifolii Zygaena lonicerae/trifolii2024
Zygaena lonicerae/trifolii Zygaena lonicerae/trifolii2024
Cephus Cephus2024
Cephus Cephus2024
Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata2024
Silver-ground Carpet Xanthorhoe montanata2024 Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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