Abbot's Wood

Visitor information

The perfect location for your next forest visit, with trails, barbecues and picnic areas

Located near Polegate, Abbot's Wood is a great place for a stroll at any time of year, with walking trails, a medieval lake, play area, barbecues and picnic tables.

This ancient woodland is teeming with wildlife. Dormice live in the woodland understory and the extensive network of paths is home to nearly thirty species of butterfly, including the rare pearl-bordered fritillary. In early spring, the extraordinary song of the nightingale can be heard and summer evenings could reward you with encounters with bats, glow worms and the sound of the elusive nightjar.

At a glance

Barbecue hire available (no other barbecues allowed)
06/04/2022 10:48
Off bridleway TROT membership routes
06/04/2022 10:49
06/04/2022 17:12

Things to do

Enjoy a tasty treat in the forest at one of our beautiful barbecue stands or picnic areas, just bring along good food and company!

Abbot's Wood has three barbecues available for you to book. Our barbecues are suitable for groups of family and friends. Disposable and portable barbecues are not allowed.

Barbecue hire is £33 and are available all year round, parking charges apply. Don't forget to bring your own charcoal and tools.

In order to protect this special landscape from the risk of fire please follow our guidance

You are welcome to hire our barbecues, but to prevent forest fires and reduce waste, please do not bring any other barbecues into this forest Never leave the barbecue unattended Ensure you have plenty of water available and barbecues are fully extinguished after use Make sure that all rubbish is taken away with you The collection of wood from the forest is not permitted, please do not use it to add fuel to your barbecue Open fires are not allowed  Full terms and conditions apply 

Cycling is a fantastic way to explore Abbot's Wood and soak up the beautiful scenery.

The wider forest and the trails off the forest tracks is out of bounds for cyclists. Please follow the Abbot's Wood cycle code

Abbot's Woods offers a network of riding which include a diverse and beautiful range of woodland habitats. Off-bridleway riding is restricted to specific routes and only permitted if you are a TROT member.

There is a public bridleway and designated (but not waymarked) TROT routes (please note that these are not exclusive to horse riders).

Horse riding across the site is only permitted with a valid TROT pass or membership. Further details can be found by calling TROT on 01622 735599 or visiting the TROT website. When riding you must be display your TROT permit. A map will be given to you after purchasing a membership.

For more information on our facilities, opening times and contact details, please see our visitor information.

Go for a wander along Abbot's Amble or take a short stroll on Oaks Walk. Look out for a variety of wildlife, bird boxes and bluebells in spring.

Accessibility guide for Abbot’s Wood

There are three disabled parking bays in Abbot’s Wood, which are the closest spaces to the toilet block. The toilet block has one designated toilet for disabled customers.

The pay and display machines are accessible to walkers, but wheelchair users may find getting to them difficult. We would recommend using our pay by phone option, RingGo. You can either download the app or call – further information can be found about parking payment here.

Abbots Wood has two way marked trails:

Abbot’s Amble (yellow markers) mainly follows forest roads, which are gravel tracks that can be uneven. In parts it goes through the wood on dirt trails which can get very muddy in wet weather and throughout winter. Oak Wood Walk (brown markers) follows mainly dirt trails through the wood. These can get very muddy in wet weather and throughout winter.

If you have any additional questions, please contact enquiries.eastfd@forestryengland.uk

Nearby forests

Butchershole at Friston Forest woodland

Friston Forest is within the South Downs National Park between Lulington Heath National Nature Reserve and Seven Sisters Country Park. It is the largest area of recently established forest in South East England.

This expansive beech woodland makes a perfect family day out for those who love exploring the countryside. With walking and cycling trails, great views of the Cuckmere and the sweeping South Downs, Friston Forest has something for everyone.

Autumn Leaves

Come and explore Birchden Wood, south of Royal Tunbridge Wells, it's a perfect day out for families, walkers and climbers. Harrison's Rocks, a sandstone crag owned by the BMC, are right next door and Birchden makes the perfect spot to escape out of the city and into the woods. 

Early morning mist rising up above the lake in autumn

Bedgebury is an award winning visitor attraction with something for everyone. Open all year, Bedgebury is the perfect place for healthy outdoor activity.

Thin trail running through conifer woodland

With around five miles of hard surface road and great networks of unsurfaced tracks, Hemsted Forest makes for a great day out, whatever the season!

The forest houses a mixture of conifer and broadleaf woodland and is rich in different bird species.

 

Membership invitation - click to find out more about membership
Volunteer with us invitation - click to discover volunteer opportunities across England