1. Slievenacloy Nature, Reserve, Belfast
Slievenacloy Nature, Reserve, Belfast
The Ulster Wildlife Trust calls this “a lush and secretive valley hidden behind the Belfast Hills and offering breathtaking views”. On a clear day, every county except Fermanagh can be seen. It has heath, unimproved grassland and waters that attract dragonflies. There are seven species of orchid found here, the skylark’s rising song is ever-present in summer and Irish hares are resident. Bilberry grow here, and the presence of waxcap fungi indicates the grasslands are of high quality. The devil’s-bit scabious grows, sustaining a population of marsh fritillary butterflies.
2. Loch of the Lowes, Perthshire
Loch of the Lowes, Perthshire
This is the best, and least crowded, place in Britain to watch ospreys, who have built their eyrie just 200 metres from a hide. They first appeared just weeks after the Scottish Wildlife Trust opened the reserve in 1969. It is six miles from Perth, has a visitor centre, and hides with wheelchair access. From these hides you can see not only the big fish hawks, but also roe and fallow deer, red squirrel, crossbill, kingfisher, and three species of grebe – Slavonian, great crested, and little – breed here. In winter thousands of greylag geese descend on the loch, joining the goldeneye, wigeon and pochard.
3. Salthill Quarry, Lancashire
Salthill Quarry, Lancashire
This site, near Clitheroe, is remarkable not only for its wildlife, but for its geology. Fossilised rocks are common in parts of the reserve, and children are often captivated by the ones that look like a pile of Polo mints. These are crinoids, the remains of sea lilies cast in stone, and thought to be 340 million years old. Ones lying around can be collected, although any hammering at rocks is completely banned. Outstanding plants include the autumn gentian, now coming into flower, there are painted lady and common blue butterflies, and it’s a rare visit when you don’t see a hovering kestrel.
4. Wye Valley Reserves, Derbyshire
Wye Valley Reserves, Derbyshire
One of the very choicest parts of the Peaks – three reserves that stretch for four miles near Buxton. Chee Dale has a 200ft deep limestone gorge, whose river is home to water voles, grey wagtails and dippers, the bird that keeps on flexing its legs. Miller’s Dale, an old quarry, has steep ash woods that are good for orchids (coming to an end now, so hurry). Priestcliffe has wonderful grasslands and superb views, and on the Monsal Trail you can walk the old Manchester-London railway line. Butterflies include the dark green fritillary and the brown argus, and there are always kestrel hunting.
5. Thorswood, Weaver Hills, Staffordshire
Thorswood, Weaver Hills, Staffordshire
Here is 150 acres of grassland full of flowers, upland heath, open water and stunning views. In the meadows that have been kept mercifully free of chemicals are growing devils-bit scabious, ox-eye daisy, betony (often mistaken for an orchid), and knapweed. There are hares (they’re bigger than rabbits with black tips to their ears), Iron Age barrows and dragonflies hunting over the pools. There are trail leaflets available and its important to keep to the designated tracks, as this is old mining country and falling down a disused shaft would rather spoil your day. If it’s a bit chilly or damp, there’s a barn in which to picnic.
6. Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, Powys
Gigrin Farm, Rhayader, Powys
One of the great wildlife spectacles in Britain can be seen at this working sheep farm. Every day at 3pm in the summer (2pm in winter), what BBC ‘Wildlife’ magazine described as “the largest, most fantastic bird table in the world” is laid. Food is put out for the area’s red kites, and often hundreds swirl in from miles around to take their meat. They are joined by buzzards, ravens and there is even a five-year-old kite with a completely white plumage. Viewing (and photographing) is from five hides, three with wheelchair access, and admission costs just £4 for adults, and £1.50 for children over five.
7. Cors Goch, Anglesey
Cors Goch, Anglesey
Fen, grassland and heath in a long and shallow valley near Bangor. This was the North Wales Wildlife Trust’s first reserve. The last of its impressive variety of orchids is now showing, and the meadows have enough wild flower colour to thrill the painter or photographer. The marsh gentian, and grass of Parnassus are the late-summer summer specialities, soon approaching their best. There are boardwalks through the wettest parts, which is just as well since this is one of the few Welsh sites for the medicinal leech. Birds include snipe, buzzard, stonechats and, in autumn and winter, marsh and hen harriers.
8. Horner Woods, Somerset
Cors Goch, Anglesey
This is one of the finest ancient oakwoods in Britain. Set in a deep combe, through which Horner Water tumbles, it is the original enchanted wood, up whose rising tracks to the moorland you can walk for miles. There are more than 330 types of lichen (an indicator of the wonderful air here), dippers by the rocky waters, pied flycatchers in the trees, and butterflies like the silver-washed fritillary. Just a few miles from Minehead, the wood is grazed by red deer, and is a wonderfully cool sanctuary on a hot day. Fungi include the shaggy ink cap and sulphur polymore, and there is a quality tea-room by the car park.
9. Bovey Heathfield, Devon
Bovey Heathfield, Devon
Lowland heath reserve run by the Devon Wildlife Trust, which has more than 60 notable, endangered, or protected species. There are three types of heather here, and within them lurk slow worms, adders and lizards. Over its waters are no fewer than 20 species of dragonfly, and over the whole of the 50-acre site are more than 300 species of spider. Birds include the Dartford warbler, and, at dusk you might hear the churring of nightjars, often likened to a distant, low-powered motorbike. Plants include the insect-eating sundew, and the parasitic lousewort (prettily pink, despite its name) and the stringy dodder.
10. Chobham Common, Surrey
Chobham Common, Surrey
A vast Surrey Wildlife Trust reserve you could lose yourself in, even on a Bank holiday. Lowland heath at its finest – more than 100 bird species have been recorded including the Dartford warbler, nightjar, hobby and dragonfly-eating hawk, attracted by 22 species of dragonfly. The site is also outstanding for insects (such as this silver studded blue butterfly), and the best place in the country for ladybirds, bees and wasps. There are also pools with water voles, one of 21 different mammals that live here.
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