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Wildlife reserves · East Midlands

Great Merrible Wood

In or near Wardley.

Free admission🐾 Dog-friendly4.7 · 26 Google reviews

Great Merrible Wood — woodland and nature reserve in Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom.

Great Merrible Wood, wildlife reserves in Leicestershire

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
2 h–4 h
Best time of year
Autumn & winter (migration & wildfowl)
Nearest railway station
Corby · 9.4 km
  • Free entry
  • Dog-friendly

Getting there & planning your visit

Great Merrible Wood is located in Leicestershire, postcode LE16 8DG. The nearest railway station is Corby, which is 9.4 km away. Entry to the wildlife reserve is free.

Directions on Google Maps →

About

Great Merrible Wood is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom. Part of Eye Brook Valley Woods. Wikidata describes it as: "woodland and nature reserve in Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom". Coordinates: 52.5570°, -0.7710°.

Photo gallery

Official information

Great Merrible Wood is a nature reserve located adjacent to Eye Brook Reservoir, known for its diverse wildlife including badgers, deer, and various bird species. Visitors can explore the ancient woodland, which features a variety of wildflowers and fungi, making it an ideal spot for nature enthusiasts.

Protected designations

  • Site of Special Scientific Interest: Eye Brook Valley Woods SSSI

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Great Merrible Wood is a 12 hectare nature reserve east of Hallaton in Leicestershire. It is owned and managed by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, and is part of the Eye Brook Valley Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest. This is a surviving fragment of the medieval Leighfield Forest. It is semi-natural ancient woodland with several unusual herbs, such as broadleaved helleborine, herb paris and violet helleborine. It is claimed to have the most diverse range of fungi in the county. There is access by a footpath from Stockerston Lane.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Coordinates
52.5570, -0.7710
County
Leicestershire
District
Harborough
Parish
Great Easton
Postcode
LE16 8DG
Parliamentary constituency
Rutland and Stamford
Phone
0116 262 9968
Nearest railway station
Corby9.4 km
Opening
Always open
Official site
www.lrwt.org.uk

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Great Merrible Wood?
Great Merrible Wood is in Leicestershire, the West Midlands, United Kingdom (postcode LE16 8DG), in the parish of Great Easton.
What is Great Merrible Wood?
Great Merrible Wood — woodland and nature reserve in Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom.
How do I get to Great Merrible Wood?
The nearest railway station is Corby, about 9.4 km away. Drivers can use postcode LE16 8DG.
Who owns Great Merrible Wood?
Great Merrible Wood is owned by Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
Is Great Merrible Wood a protected site?
Yes — Great Merrible Wood is part of the Eye Brook Valley Woods SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Is Great Merrible Wood free to visit?
Yes, Great Merrible Wood is free to enter.
How do I get to Great Merrible Wood?
Drivers can navigate to postcode LE16 8DG. It sits within the Rutland and Stamford parliamentary constituency.
Are dogs allowed at Great Merrible Wood?
Most wildlife reserves allow dogs on lead only, with restrictions during ground-nesting bird season (March-July). Check signage at the reserve.