Guided Wildlife and Habitats Walk at Wormwood Scrubs

A guided walk to spot birds, butterflies and other wildlife led by an RSPB ecologist working on habitat management at the site
About this Event

Join us for a wildlife walk around one of London's largest green spaces. Everyone welcome, whether you are a beginner or know a lot about nature already!

The walk is free of charge but advance booking is essential. See below for more details.

Wormwood Scrubs is a place where you can get a real sense of wild nature in the city.

The walk will be led by Kate McVay, an ecologist working on habitat management at Wormwood Scrubs in a partnership between the RSPB and idverde. Kate is a brilliant guide, she has so much enthusiasm and always tells us many fascinating facts about the wildlife we come across. It's a joy to go on one of her walks, so don't miss it!

The walk will take us through a variety of habitats including woodland, scrub and grassland. Along the way we will be looking out for wildlife of all kinds, including birds, butterflies, moths, bees and lizards.

Kate will tell us about the wide range of birds that have been recorded on site recently, including a great mix of warblers. It is also very common to spot Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard and Red Kite hunting over the grassland habitat.

Photos: Meadow Brown butterfly and bumblebee by Patrick Cashman © rspb-images.com; Red Kite, Blackcap and Common Whitethroat by Ben Andrew © rspb-images.com; Jersey Tiger Moth and Holly Blue butterfly on our walk in July 2025 © Ed Vinluan; group photos from previous walks © RSPB CLLG

Further information

• The walk is free of charge but advance booking is essential as places are limited.
• The walk will start at 9am and end at about 11.30am.
• The distance will be about 2 miles at a leisurely pace with frequent stops to observe wildlife. There are benches along the way if you need a brief rest.
• The paths are mostly flat but unpaved and uneven in places. In July the ground is likely to be hard and dry but can be muddy after rain so wear appropriate walking shoes or boots. It is possible to bring a pushchair but bear in mind the paths can be uneven.
• The meeting point at Wormwood Scrubs is a walk of approx 5 minutes from East Acton Underground station on the Central Line. There will be a group meeting outside the station at 8.50am to walk to the meeting point. You can make your own way to the Scrubs if you prefer - the location of the meeting point will be provided when you get a ticket.
• Toilet facilities will be available at the Lynford Christie Stadium along the walk, where there are also water fountains to fill up a water bottle.
• The walk route will include some tree shade but if it is a hot day we will often be in the sun so we advise you to wear suncreen and a hat.
• There will be no refreshments along the walk, bring water and any other food or drink with you if you wish. There are cafes near East Acton station.
• After the event there will be a group walk back to East Acton station. If you wish to leave before the end of the walk you will need to make your own way back to the station.