It is a common butterfly throughout much of the open habitats on the Park. It inhabits grassy areas and is the typical butterfly of hedgerow and woodland rides of high summer. This very common butterfly is found throughout much of England and Wales.

Note also that any dots on the under hindwings are white, whereas those on the Meadow Brown are black. The undersides are bright mottled brown on the hindwing and dull orange on the forewing, which again bears a distinctive eye with twin pupils. The Gatekeeper also has one, and sometimes several small white dots on the upper hindwing. Both sexes have a large black eyespot usually containing two white pupils near the tip of the forewings, whereas the Meadow Brown's eye has a single pupil. The males also have a conspicuous dark scent band across the orange on the forewing and are considerably smaller than the females. The Gatekeeper's upperwings have broad grey-brown borders enclosing large orange patches, which are especially bright in the males. Seen up close, it is easy to identify, although beginners sometimes confuse it with the much larger Meadow Brown.

This medium-sized butterfly looks more golden in flight than almost any other Brown but is not so bright as to be mistaken for a Fritillary or the Comma.