← Back🌲 Conifer forest

Windyhirst Plantation

18 ha

WildlifeBirdsInsects

Free entryDogs welcome18 ha

Getting here

54.99270, -2.16854

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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
🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
🐕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

Parking· Free

Best for

6 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow +77 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow +77 more · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Hydropsyche siltalai +53 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Hydropsyche siltalai +53 more · last seen 2025

Free

Foraging

Good match

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Seasonal nature

Good match

Plants — Bird's-nest Orchid, Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed +8 more · last seen 2024; Plants — Bird's-nest Orchid, Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed +8 more · last seen 2024

Free

Forest walks

Moderate match

Public woodland

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

2 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Way of LightWalking route

Named routeRegional walking route

Hadrian's Wall PathWalking route134.5 km

Named routeLength 134.5 kmNational walking route

🚴

Cycling

24 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Hadrian's CyclewayCycling route

Named routeRef 72National Cycle Network

National Byway (County Durham and Northumberland)Cycling route

The National Byway route through County Durham and Northumberland

Named routeRef NBRegional cycle route

National Byway Hexham LoopCycling route

Named routeRef NBRegional cycle route

Main RouteCycling route20 m

Named routeRef 72Length 20 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route452 m

Named routeRef 72Length 452 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route71 m

Named routeRef 72Length 71 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

Wildlife to spot

1,929 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

1,929 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds49 species

springautumn

2025

Carrion Crow · Jackdaw · Wren · Rook · Blackbird +44

Carrion CrowCorvus corone
JackdawColoeus monedula
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
RookCorvus frugilegus
BlackbirdTurdus merula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
SwallowHirundo rustica
RobinErithacus rubecula
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
House MartinDelichon urbicum
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Sand MartinRiparia riparia
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Common GullLarus canus
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
Garden WarblerSylvia borin
SwiftApus apus
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Stock DoveColumba oenas
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
GreenfinchChloris chloris
MagpiePica pica2024
Great TitParus major
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
JayGarrulus glandarius2024
LapwingVanellus vanellus2024
DipperCinclus cinclus2024
Tree SparrowPasser montanus2024
NuthatchSitta europaea2024
GoosanderMergus merganser2024
SiskinSpinus spinus2024
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2024

🦌

Mammals2 species

autumn

2024

Hedgehog · Brown Hare

HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
Brown HareLepus europaeus

🐝

Insects5 species

summer

2025

Marmalade Hoverfly · 7-spot Ladybird · Hawthorn Shieldbug · Golden-ringed Dragonfly · Red-legged Shieldbug

Marmalade HoverflyEpisyrphus balteatus
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale
Golden-ringed DragonflyCordulegaster boltonii2024
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes2024

🌿

Plants5 species

autumn

2024

Foxglove · Wood Sage · Climbing Corydalis · Wood-sorrel · Wavy Hair-Grass

FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
Wood SageTeucrium scorodonia
Climbing CorydalisCeratocapnos claviculata
Wood-sorrelOxalis acetosella
Wavy Hair-GrassAvenella flexuosa

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

1,929 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds49 species

springautumn

2025

Carrion Crow · Jackdaw · Wren · Rook · Blackbird +44

Carrion CrowCorvus corone
JackdawColoeus monedula
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
RookCorvus frugilegus
BlackbirdTurdus merula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
SwallowHirundo rustica
RobinErithacus rubecula
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
House MartinDelichon urbicum
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
Sand MartinRiparia riparia
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus
Common GullLarus canus
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
Garden WarblerSylvia borin
SwiftApus apus
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
LinnetLinaria cannabina
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Stock DoveColumba oenas
Grasshopper WarblerLocustella naevia
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos
GreenfinchChloris chloris
MagpiePica pica2024
Great TitParus major
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella
JayGarrulus glandarius2024
LapwingVanellus vanellus2024
DipperCinclus cinclus2024
Tree SparrowPasser montanus2024
NuthatchSitta europaea2024
GoosanderMergus merganser2024
SiskinSpinus spinus2024
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2024

🦌

Mammals2 species

autumn

2024

Hedgehog · Brown Hare

HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
Brown HareLepus europaeus

🐝

Insects5 species

summer

2025

Marmalade Hoverfly · 7-spot Ladybird · Hawthorn Shieldbug · Golden-ringed Dragonfly · Red-legged Shieldbug

Marmalade HoverflyEpisyrphus balteatus
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale
Golden-ringed DragonflyCordulegaster boltonii2024
Red-legged ShieldbugPentatoma rufipes2024

🌿

Plants5 species

autumn

2024

Foxglove · Wood Sage · Climbing Corydalis · Wood-sorrel · Wavy Hair-Grass

FoxgloveDigitalis purpurea
Wood SageTeucrium scorodonia
Climbing CorydalisCeratocapnos claviculata
Wood-sorrelOxalis acetosella
Wavy Hair-GrassAvenella flexuosa

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 wfmillar · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Greenshaw Plantation

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱The SeleUrban park4.7 km→🌱Hexham House GroundsUrban park4.7 km→🌱Hexham House GroundsUrban park4.7 km→🌱Abbey GroundsUrban park4.8 km→🌱Tyne Green Country ParkUrban park4.8 km→🌱Tyne Green Country ParkUrban park4.8 km→

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