Skip to content
WordPress site playing up? Vincony fixes it — today, from $5.Get it fixed →
The Great Britain Guide

Forests & woodlands · East of England

West Pit

In or near Cherry Hinton.

Free admission4.6 · 279 Google reviews

West Pit is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.

West Pit, forests & woodlands in Cambridgeshire

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

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1 h–3 h
Nearest railway station
Cambridge South · 2.5 km
  • Free entry
  • Family-friendly
  • Dog-friendly

Getting there & planning your visit

To visit West Pit, the nearest railway station is Cambridge South, located 2.5 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is CB1 8NQ, and entry is free.

Directions on Google Maps →

About

West Pit is a named forest, woodland or nature reserve in the United Kingdom. Coordinates: 52.1799°, 0.1673°. This entry is part of The Great Britain Guide, a free, ad-free, open-data tourist directory.

Photo gallery

Official information

West Pit is a local nature reserve in Cambridge that was formerly a quarry and is now recognized as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Visitors can explore its unique undulating terrain, mature woodlands, and chalk grasslands, which are home to a variety of rare plant species and wildlife.

Protected designations

  • Site of Special Scientific Interest: Cherry Hinton Pit SSSI

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

West Pit is a 4.3 hectare Local Nature Reserve in Cherry Hinton, on the south-eastern outskirts of Cambridge. It is part of the Cherry Hinton Pit biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which includes the neighbouring East Pit. This former chalk quarry is now steeply sloping woodland with a caravan park in the centre. The woodland has been designated an SSSI due to the presence of a plant on the British Red List of Threatened Species, the moon carrot. The site has been designated a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) by Cambridge City Council, which shows it as one LNR and East Pit and Limekiln Close as another LNR. However, the LNRs are confused on the Natural England website. One is shown as Limekiln Close and West Pit on the details page, but the map only covers Limekiln Close. The other LNR is shown on the details page as East Pit, whereas the map covers both East and West Pits. There is access to the site from the entrance to the caravan park on Limekiln Road.

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

Coordinates
52.1799, 0.1673
County
Cambridgeshire
District
Cambridge
Parish
Cambridge, unparished area
Postcode
CB1 8NQ
Parliamentary constituency
South Cambridgeshire
Nearest railway station
Cambridge South2.5 km

Sources

Other places nearby

Nearby

West Pit📷 5

Forests & woodlands · East of England

West Pit

West Pit is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.

Free🐕👶
Sandells Yard - geograph.org.uk - 8205258📷 5

Caravan parks · East of England

Cambridge Cherry Hinton Caravan and Motorhome Club

Cambridge Cherry Hinton Caravan and Motorhome Club — a caravan park in england london.

East Pit Nature Reserve, Limekiln Road, Cherry Hinton - geograph.org.uk - 2261668📷 5

Vineyards · East of England

War Ditches

War Ditches — a UK vineyard in england london, producing English or Welsh wine from cool-climate grape varieties.

Cherry Hinton Pit📷 5

Wildlife reserves · East of England

Cherry Hinton Pit

Cherry Hinton Pit — nature reserve in the United Kingdom.

Free🐕👶
East Pit📷 5

Forests & woodlands · East of England

East Pit

East Pit is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.

Free🐕👶wildlifebcn.org
Lime Kiln Close📷 5

Forests & woodlands · East of England

Lime Kiln Close

Lime Kiln Close is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.

Free🐕👶

Where to eat & stay near West Pit

Places to stay

Sandells Yard - geograph.org.uk - 8205258📷 5

Caravan parks · East of England

Cambridge Cherry Hinton Caravan and Motorhome Club

Cambridge Cherry Hinton Caravan and Motorhome Club — a caravan park in england london.

Travelodge, Cambridge - geograph.org.uk - 5467166📷 7

Hotels · East of England

Travelodge Cambridge Central

Travelodge Cambridge Central — a hotel in england london. 2-star. Brand: Travelodge.

Freetravelodge.co.uk
Tenison Road, protesting against cuts - geograph.org.uk - 3895071📷 5

Hostels · East of England

YHA Cambridge

YHA Cambridge — a hostel in england london.

Camping ^ Caravan Club Campsite - Cambridge - geograph.org.uk - 2015471📷 5

Campsites · East of England

Camping & Caravanning Club - Cambridge Club Site

Camping & Caravanning Club - Cambridge Club Site — a campsite in england london.

Refreshment Kiosk off Parkers Piece - geograph.org.uk - 3988325📷 5

Hotels · East of England

Gonville Hotel

Gonville Hotel — a hotel in england london.

gonvillehotel.co.uk
A crane viewed from Queen Anne Terrace car park, Cambridge - geograph.org.uk - 4874364📷 5

Hostels · East of England

YMCA

YMCA — a hostel in england london.

Places to eat & drink

The Village Sign at Cherry Hinton - geograph.org.uk - 6082404📷 7

Historic pubs · East of England

The Robin Hood

The Robin Hood in England East, United Kingdom.

greeneking.co.uk
Coronation Street and The Panton - geograph.org.uk - 4293350📷 7

Historic pubs · East of England

Panton Arms

Panton Arms in England East, United Kingdom.

Benchmark at 6 Lensfield Road, Cambridge - geograph.org.uk - 2973871📷 5

Historic pubs · East of England

The Oak Public House

The Oak Public House in England East, United Kingdom.

High Street, Trumpington - geograph.org.uk - 1879877📷 7

Restaurants · East of England

sole & duck

sole & duck — a restaurant in england london.

soleandduck.co.uk
Papermills, Newmarket Road, Cambridge - geograph.org.uk - 6351753📷 7

Historic pubs · East of England

The Globe Public House

The Globe Public House in England East, United Kingdom.

Bench Mark, 72 Jesus Lane, Cambridge - geograph.org.uk - 8221942📷 7

Historic pubs · East of England

St Radegund

St Radegund in England East, United Kingdom.

More forests in this region

The Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences - geograph.org.uk - 7058758📷 5

Forests & woodlands · East of England

Adams Road Bird Sanctuary

Adams Road Bird Sanctuary is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.

Free🐕👶adamsroadbirdsanctuary.com
Arthur's Meadow NR📷 5

Forests & woodlands · East of England

Arthur's Meadow NR

Arthur's Meadow NR is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.

Free🐕👶
Ashwell Quarry & Quarry Springs📷 5

Forests & woodlands · East of England

Ashwell Quarry & Quarry Springs

Ashwell Quarry & Quarry Springs is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.

Free🐕👶
Ashwell Springs📷 5

Forests & woodlands · East of England

Ashwell Springs

Ashwell Springs is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.

Free🐕👶ashwellmuseum.org.uk

Frequently asked questions

Where is West Pit?
West Pit is in Cambridgeshire, London, United Kingdom (postcode CB1 8NQ), in the parish of Cambridge, unparished area.
What is West Pit?
West Pit is a forest or woodland in the United Kingdom.
How do I get to West Pit?
The nearest railway station is Cambridge South, about 2.5 km away. Drivers can use postcode CB1 8NQ.
Who owns West Pit?
West Pit is owned by Cambridge City Council.
Is West Pit a protected site?
Yes — West Pit is part of the Cherry Hinton Pit SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Is West Pit free to visit?
Yes, West Pit is free to enter.
How do I get to West Pit?
The nearest railway station is Cambridge South, about 2.5 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CB1 8NQ.