Visit Burnham Beeches and Stoke Common
Burnham Beeches and Stoke Common
Burnham Beeches and Stoke Common are located in Buckinghamshire to the West of London and are registered charities. Both of these amazing nature reserves are Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Burnham Beeches is additionally a National Nature Reserve and Special Area of Conservation: these are internationally important places for wildlife so please take special care when you visit and be mindful of the impact of your visit on the local wildlife. When you visit, you can help the wildlife by keeping to the main paths to reduce trampling, and by remembering that people shouting, barking dogs and dogs running widely cause disturbance to birds and mammals. Please ask a Ranger or use the signs on site to understand what you are able to do.
Discover the splendour of the ancient beech pollards, explore the rare and diverse habitats or take in the outstanding natural beauty that surrounds these beautiful, scenic nature reserves.
*Please note: in adverse weather conditions (such as winds of over 45mph), the sites may be closed. Please check the Met Office forecast for Slough or follow us on Facebook.
| Place | what3words address |
|---|---|
| Burnham Beeches Office | ///middle.expose.ground |
| Burnham Beeches Café | ///cone.hogs.dawn |
| Public toilets | ///button.dairy.suffer |
Why not leave the car at home and come on foot, cycle or by public transport? Our getting to Burnham Beeches and Stoke Common page has information on different modes of transport and directions.
For the location of either Burnham Beeches or Stoke Common, use Google Maps or view the AA route planner to plan your journey. Full public transport timetables are available from Traveline.
If you are not able to walk or cycle to Burnham Beeches and want to park on the nature reserve, the car parks are open from 8am and close at dusk. Daily parking charges apply - see our car parking and season ticket page. Parking at Stoke Common is limited to a lay-by with space for just a few cars.
| Car park | Nearest postcode | what3words address |
|---|---|---|
| Lord Mayors Drive Car Park | SL2 3LB | ///herb.beside.valve |
| Stag Car Park | SL2 3TA | ///shut.snaps.woke |
| Dell Car Park | SL2 3NF | ///sands.pets.ranged |
| Overflow Car Park | SL2 3SZ | ///coach.script.spared |
The café, public toilets and Information Point open from 10am and close around 5pm (seasonal variations apply and closed on Christmas day). There are two disabled toilets, one of which includes a baby changing facility. Outside these hours, there is a bulletin board with a small number of information leaflets just outside the café area.
Cyclists and horse riders are welcome at both nature reserves; we encourage visitors to come by bike rather than car. You can enjoy the bridleways which cross Stoke Common, but you must stick to the tarmac at Burnham Beeches. The very sensitive habitats at both reserves can be easily damaged by riding or cycling off of the permitted paths.
Both of these areas have rare and extremely sensitive, vulnerable habitats, so we are sorry but BBQs and fires are not permitted on either nature reserve at any time.
There are seven disabled parking spaces available on Lord Mayors Drive and one at the Stag car park. Drivers with a blue badge must register their vehicle with Pure Park to qualify for exemption from the parking charge. The disabled access page details the facilities available to less mobile visitors.
Dog walkers are welcome at both nature reserves - here are some ways to enjoy your visit:
- do always carry a bag with you and take the waste home or, if at the Beeches, use one of the bins in the car parks
- do always make sure you carry a lead with you
- do ensure that your dog is wearing a collar and tag - if it gets lost it will be much easier for us to reunite you with your dog
- do keep you dog's worming and vaccinations up to date - yours isn't the only dog visiting the site
- do ensure that you keep your dog under effective control - that means in sight at all times and returning when called
- do make sure you know where the Public Spaces Protection Orders apply
- do enjoy walking your dog around these fantastic nature reserves
Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) apply at Burnham Beeches at all times. Please visit our Public Spaces Protection Orders page for more information on how and where they apply.
Burnham Beeches is a great place to explore and learn. There are large car parks suitable for coach parking (see car parking page), public toilets, the Main Common where the children can let off steam and of course, the nature reserve's fantastic wildlife and history. Unfortunately we do not have an education team and whilst we can sometimes offer a short Ranger led walk, staff numbers often mean that this will not be possible. However, we have created a Teachers' pack (downloadable from the link below) which has been designed to give you all the information you should need for a successful, enjoyable and educational day out. If you are planning a visit, please be sure to contact us so we can make the necessary arrangements. Please be aware: due to the sensitive nature of the reserve, some educational activities and boisterous games may not be appropriate - please speak to the team to find out more.
If you would like to organise an event or activity at Burnham Beeches, you may need a licence to do so. As Burnham Beeches is an SSSI and SAC with many sensitive habitats and species living in them, certain activities are not appropriate on the nature reserve and may be restricted. We also need to have contact details for group activities so that we can contact you in the event of an emergency (for example if we have to close the reserve due to high wind speeds). Filming and professional photography will require a licence. Use the details at the top of the page to contact the Burnham Beeches Office to find out more.
Maps and trails and event diary
We have a selection of maps and trails that can be downloaded from the links below. All our activities for the year can be found in the event diary. If you are a veteran tree enthusiast, the Ancient Tree Forum has created a series of interactive trails including one exploring the Veteran Trees at Burnham Beeches.