Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🐶 Dogs
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome
Places › England › South West › Dorset Getting here
50.85734, -2.16310
Open directionsv 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 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails ☕ Forum Cafe — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food 🌤️ Visiting this summer
☀️ June — long evenings and clear skies; one of the most rewarding months for a late visit 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails ☕ Forum Cafe — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🚲 Bike parking☕ Café🅿️ Parking
🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Strong match
Birds — Wren, Carrion Crow, Swift +36 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Wren, Carrion Crow, Swift +36 more · last seen 2025
Free
Dogs allowed with public access
Free
🛝 Family friendly
Strong match
café; Urban park — family destination
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — White-legged Damselfly, Syrphus, Cheilosia soror +31 more · last seen 2025; Insects — White-legged Damselfly, Syrphus, Cheilosia soror +31 more · last seen 2025
Free
Named cycling route nearby: Route 25
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 5 signed routes nearby · 28 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
Hod Hill circular walk, Hod Hill Walking route 1.6 km ▾
Hod Hill is a steep climb to the ramparts of the hillfort, followed by a moderately level walk.
Named route Length 1.6 km Duration 00:45 Round trip Local walking route
Show on map Hod Hill butterfly walk, Hod Hill Walking route 1.6 km ▾
Easiest approach involves one steep slope, alternative approach is gentler but longer. Site itself is level but uneven with little mud. Dogs welcome, but cattle are on the hill in summer and sheep in winter.
Named route Length 1.6 km Duration 00:45 Round trip
Show on map Wessex Ridgeway Walking route ▾
Named route Ref WR Regional walking route
Show on map Stour Valley Way Walking route 100 km ▾
Named route Ref SVW Length 100 km Regional walking route
Show on map Jubilee Trail (Dorset) Walking route ▾
Named route Regional walking route
Show on map Alexandra Street public footpath · 11 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 11 m Surface asphalt Path type: footway
Show on map Anchor Gateway public footpath · 13 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 13 m Path type: footway
Show on map School Lane public footpath · 146 m ▾
Public path public footpath Length 146 m Surface asphalt Path type: footway
Show on map 38 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 25 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 25 National Cycle Network
Show on map National Cycle Network 250 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 250 National Cycle Network
Show on map North Dorset Cycle Way Cycling route ▾
Named route Regional cycle route
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 81 m ▾
Named route Ref 25 Length 81 m National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 536 m ▾
Named route Ref 25 Length 536 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface unsealedfirm
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 3.7 km ▾
Named route Ref 250 Length 3.7 km National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface unsealedfirm
Show on map 1 signed route nearby
Signed route nearby
Wessex Ridgeway Trail Mountain bike route ▾
Named route Listed length 207km
Show on map Photos Woodhouse Garden, Blandford Forum
‹ ›
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
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id: 4c32d33a-b7e7-45f2-952c-d717071df2cf
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
14,282 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 14,282 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 39 species
spring summer autumn winter
2025 ▾
Wren · Carrion Crow · Swift · Goosander · Blue Tit +34
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Carrion Crow Corvus corone Swift Apus apus Goosander Mergus merganser Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Blackbird Turdus merula Robin Erithacus rubecula Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Mute Swan Cygnus olor Herring Gull Larus argentatus Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Starling Sturnus vulgaris Little Egret Egretta garzetta Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Great Tit Parus major Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea House Sparrow Passer domesticus Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Rook Corvus frugilegus Magpie Pica pica House Martin Delichon urbicum Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Dunnock Prunella modularis Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Swallow Hirundo rustica Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Linnet Linaria cannabina Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Nuthatch Sitta europaea Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Skylark Alauda arvensis 🦌 Mammals 3 species
summer autumn winter
2025 ▾
Grey Squirrel · Feral Cat · Hedgehog
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Feral Cat Felis catus Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus White-legged Damselfly · Syrphus · Cheilosia soror · Banded Demoiselle · Eristalis tenax +29
White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes Syrphus Syrphus Cheilosia soror Cheilosia soror Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens Eristalis tenax Eristalis tenax Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 14,282 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 39 species
spring summer autumn winter
2025 ▾
Wren · Carrion Crow · Swift · Goosander · Blue Tit +34
Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Carrion Crow Corvus corone Swift Apus apus Goosander Mergus merganser Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Blackbird Turdus merula Robin Erithacus rubecula Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Mute Swan Cygnus olor Herring Gull Larus argentatus Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Starling Sturnus vulgaris Little Egret Egretta garzetta Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Great Tit Parus major Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea House Sparrow Passer domesticus Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Rook Corvus frugilegus Magpie Pica pica House Martin Delichon urbicum Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Dunnock Prunella modularis Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Swallow Hirundo rustica Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Linnet Linaria cannabina Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Nuthatch Sitta europaea Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Skylark Alauda arvensis 🦌 Mammals 3 species
summer autumn winter
2025 ▾
Grey Squirrel · Feral Cat · Hedgehog
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Feral Cat Felis catus Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus White-legged Damselfly · Syrphus · Cheilosia soror · Banded Demoiselle · Eristalis tenax +29
White-legged Damselfly Platycnemis pennipes Syrphus Syrphus Cheilosia soror Cheilosia soror Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens Eristalis tenax Eristalis tenax Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Leucozona laternaria Leucozona laternaria
Leucozona laternaria Leucozona laternaria
Sphaerophoria Sphaerophoria
Sphaerophoria Sphaerophoria
Meliscaeva cinctella Meliscaeva cinctella
Meliscaeva cinctella Meliscaeva cinctella
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus
Cheilosia illustrata Cheilosia illustrata
Cheilosia illustrata Cheilosia illustrata
Chrysotoxum festivum Chrysotoxum festivum
Chrysotoxum festivum Chrysotoxum festivum
Greater Bulb-Fly Merodon equestris
Greater Bulb-Fly Merodon equestris
Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus
Helophilus pendulus Helophilus pendulus
Xylota sylvarum Xylota sylvarum
Xylota sylvarum Xylota sylvarum
Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea
Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea
Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
Red-legged Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes
Syrphus ribesii Syrphus ribesii
Syrphus ribesii Syrphus ribesii
Scaeva pyrastri Scaeva pyrastri
Scaeva pyrastri Scaeva pyrastri
Volucella pellucens Volucella pellucens
Volucella pellucens Volucella pellucens
Volucella bombylans subsp. plumata Volucella bombylans subsp. plumata
Volucella bombylans subsp. plumata Volucella bombylans subsp. plumata
Meliscaeva auricollis Meliscaeva auricollis
Meliscaeva auricollis Meliscaeva auricollis
Eristalis nemorum Eristalis nemorum
Eristalis nemorum Eristalis nemorum
Xylota segnis Xylota segnis
Xylota segnis Xylota segnis
Cheilosia impressa Cheilosia impressa
Cheilosia impressa Cheilosia impressa
Pipiza Pipiza
Pipiza Pipiza
Eristalis arbustorum Eristalis arbustorum
Eristalis arbustorum Eristalis arbustorum
Cheilosia Cheilosia
Cheilosia Cheilosia
Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo
Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle Pyrochroa serraticornis
Scarce Chaser Libellula fulva
Scarce Chaser Libellula fulva
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella
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