Skip navigation
Season
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter

PreviousNext

Weather today

18°C

Map of Northward Hill
Where is it?
View map
Right, let's go...
Plan a visit
Grey herons at St Albans (Aren't birds brilliant!)Nightingale singingBluebells Hyacinthoides, in bloom Wood of Cree
White-letter hairstreak butterflyMale whitethroat in songMale marsh harrier over reedbed
Flying swallowMigrant hawker dragonfly in flightJay carrying acorn
Flock of crows at duskFieldfare in snow with applesMale shoveler dabbling

Wildlife awards

Northward Hill is one of the best places for wildlife in the UK.

Top things to do in Spring

  1. 250 pairs of grey herons and little egrets nest in the trees in the UK's largest heronry. Nightingales return to the wood in April and sing in dense undergrowth
  2. Carpets of bluebells from mid April-May
  3. Avocets nest on reservoir islands

Top things to do in Summer

  1. Watch out for hobbies hunting dragonflies over the marsh, while marsh harriers quarter the reedbeds
  2. You could see the rare white-letter hairstreak butterfly in the woodland, or turtle doves on overhead wires
  3. See the whitethroat dart rapidly in and out of cover, before heading to the south of the Sahara for the winter

Top things to do in Autumn

  1. Swallows gather around farm buildings. Noisy jays in the wood gather acorns
  2. Migrant hawker and common darter dragonflies can be present in large numbers
  3. Migrating waders such as green and common sandpipers may be seen on the reservoirs

Top things to do in Winter

  1. Redwings and fieldfares can be seen in the orchards below the wood
  2. See the 4,000-strong rook and jackdaw 'spectacular' as they prepare to roost in the wood
  3. Wintering wildfowl like wigeons, teals and shovelers gather on the reservoirs and flooded fields

What's on?

More events...

Latest forum posts

Visit our forum

Latest blog posts

Read our blog

Your photos

  • New roof and barriers. Cattle ready!
  • The way the open faced barn used to look!
  • Robin
  • Goldfinch
  • White Marsh
  • Ass. Warden Andy Daw
  • Northward Hill
  • do you think you could give me a push please sir?

View more photos

Downloads

Map of Northward Hill

Map of Northward Hill

343Kb, PDF

Date: 3 April 2012

Download

WildSquare Bingo

WildSquare Bingo

2.8Mb, PDF

Date: 21 June 2010

Download

Living classrooms

Get your class or group exploring the natural world in fun and innovative ways.

Find out more

Extend your stay

Other places to visit

Avocet feeding in water

Cliffe Pools

Open water and big skies with great views of huge flocks of birds and the Thames

Flooded meadows at the RSPB West Sedgemoor nature reserve

West Sedgemoor

A specially protected haven for birds all year-round

RSPB Marazion Marsh reserve and St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall

Marazion Marsh

A peaceful walk around a beautiful wetland

Find another place to visit

Search by place name or postcode.