Copthorne M23 J10

EAST National Cat Centre GRINSTEAD A trip to the National Cat Centre, set in Nature Trail A22 delightful woodland, is a memorable Wych Cross experience for all the family.

Chelwood Adoption Centre Nature trail Gate A275 Come and meet our

Danehill Nutley gorgeous cats and kittens

A22 looking for loving new

A26 homes at the largest cat HAYWARDS HEATH adoption centre in the UK. Scaynes Sheffield Hill Park

A272 A272 A22 Visitor Centre Newick The Visitor Centre features a café selling A275 Chailey delicious hot and cold meals, a gift shop and conference facilities that can be hired.

Nature trail How to find us: We are situated directly off the A275 Take a walk on the wild side and learn at . Use RH17 7DE for sat nav directions. all about the natural world.

National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Meet the sheep Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT Owned by the Conservators of Ashdown

Entry and parking: Free Forest, this unique flock of Hebridean sheep graze the forest all year round. Open: 10am – 4pm daily Please see our website for any additional opening Cats Protection is the UK’s largest feline times. Site closed: Christmas Day, Boxing Day and welfare charity. We find new homes for New Year’s Day thousands of cats and kittens every year through our nationwide network Adoption Centre of volunteer-run branches and T: 01825 741 330 E: [email protected] adoption centres.

Visitor Centre T: 01825 741 370 E: [email protected]

Website: www.cats.org.uk/ncac

Free entry Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland)

Please follow these simple guidelines to ensure Welcome to our nature trail your visit is a pleasant and safe experience:

The trail begins outside the administration Summer • Children must be accompanied by an adult at building and covers a distance of • Look out for the rare silver-studded all times and should be supervised, especially approximately 2km. We estimate it will take blue butterfly near the pond between 1 – 2 hours to complete at a leisurely • Nightjars can be heard ‘churring’ on the pace. Interpretation boards giving information heath at dusk • This site contains the natural flora, fauna and on the natural environment can be found • Grass snakes can be spotted swimming wildlife that is common in this area, including throughout the trail. Each board is marked on across the pond potentially hazardous creatures such as adders the map with a symbol. Autumn • The ground level is uneven in places, so please The route passes through woodland, grassland • Admire the rich, gold and crimson hues tread carefully and lowland heath. We are allowing some of autumn leaves areas to revert to wildflower meadows which • Look out for stags arriving for the rut or • There are no surfaced paths, so unfortunately will improve over time. mating season the trail is not suitable for those in wheelchairs • Spot different types of fungi Seasonal highlights • Parts of the trail get very muddy after rainfall, Winter so it is advisable to wear wellingtons or Spring • Huge flocks of starlings spin and twirl in the walking boots • Listen out for chiffchaffs, blackcaps dusk sky before settling down to roost and cuckoos • Great grey shrikes visit for the winter before • Please protect plants and animals and take • Enjoy the beautiful spring flowers heading back to Scandinavia your litter home • Spot adders and grass snakes emerging • Grey squirrels search for buried food stores from hibernation • Great tits form large flocks with other tits to • Smoking, barbeques and fires are forbidden • Hear woodpeckers drumming on trees scour the countryside for food Trail map and information ASHDOWN FOREST Adoption Centre Nature Trail

Exit to Ashdown Forest

Cat homing Veterinary Disabled Hedgehog Honey Hebridean centre toilet bees sheep Sluice Ruins of old reptile house Pond Boat house Mill Brook

Toilets Baby Red fox Trees & Insect Picnic area changing plants

Visitor Centre Outdoor Deer Rabbit seating

Café Shop Conference centre Birds Squirrel Bats Holly Bee Cottage hives

No vehicle access to/from Toilets Baby Disabled Hebridean sheep Laundry Lane Overflow parking changing toilet Administration Adder Badger History building Warehouse

START Outdoor Free WiFi seating hotspot

CP Fairy circle Lowland heath Visitor Centre Other

E Saplings Duck Mole Map and island information S N Adoption Centre Parking Parent & baby Disabled Information boards are positioned W Observatory parking parking throughout the nature trail. The Metrobus 270 runs from Haywards Heath to East symbols show their approximate Grinstead and stops at the Red Lion pub location on the site. Bowls club Nearest rail stations are East Grinstead: 5.13 miles Haywards Heath: 6.35 miles Overflow parking

No Entry

Foot path

Nature Trail Entrance and exit on the A275

A275 to Wych Cross A275 to Chailey