Smelling the meadows filled with fresh flowers, listening to birds flocking and chirping, feeling the sea breeze on your skin – exploring the wilderness can be an exciting adventure but also a relaxing experience. New book Where to Go Wild on the British Isles lists Britain’s wildest spots. Here are some of our favourite places to get back to nature throughout the year.
Located on the north coast of Norfolk, Holkham is home to the pink-footed goose, which you can spot on mudflat and shallow water. Visit this incredible seaside town in January to watch a huge swarm of these yelping geese migrate to Britain for the winter. You can also discover other species in the lush fields, such as the European white-fronted geese, dark-bellied brent geese or even wigeons. It’s the perfect destination for any bird lover.
Discover the moors of Geltsdale with a hike in the crisp winter weather of the new year. Located in Cumbria, these moors are one of the UK’s only sites where you can spot nesting hen harriers. This region is also famous for its black grouse, which impresses with its size as well as its stunning blue-black and white wings.
Venture down to Devon to explore wild Exmoor with its rolling moorlands and coastal cliffs. The famous Exmoor ponies, native to Britain, inhabit this dramatic landscape and you can watch them grazing the barren moors. Many ponies were killed in this area during the Second World War, until only 50 remained, but locals have managed to restore the numbers to somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000. Alongside the ponies, you can also spot deers roaming the area.
Nicknamed ‘Scotland in miniature’, because it encompasses both Highlands and Lowlands, the Isle of Arran impresses through its great diversity of flora and fauna making it the ideal destination for nature enthusiasts. As the Gulf Stream passes by, the winters here are actually mild, making a walk through the stunning landscape very pleasant. Come in February, to see the remarkable flight of the golden eagle around this area.
Love this? Follow our Facebook page for more travel inspiration
This Devon seaside area features sand dunes that reach heights of up to 100 feet (30m), making it some of the largest of its kind in England. During early spring, you might find botanists exploring the Baunton Burrows’ sandbanks as the plants covering them help the dunes rise to these impressive heights. The tan sand is adorned with yellow, purple and white flowers that are just starting to bloom. You can spot some incredible flora such as a rare and internationally protected liverwort as well as various mosses and lichens.
Situated on the edge of the Peak District, just outside Stockport, Lyme Park is a bucolic estate featuring a 16th-century Tudor country house. It has a beautifully remodelled exterior from the 18th century and is surrounded by grassland as well as a deer park. Visit in spring to watch wild brown hares during one of their stand-up boxing matches, which Lewis Carroll described as “mad March hare” in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. An ideal viewing spot for this phenomenon is an 18th-century hunting lodge called The Cage.
Another favourite for enthusiastic bird watchers, Portland Bill is a birding hot spot during the spring migration as rare species such as the Allen’s gallinule, northern water thrush and dark-eyed junco stop over on the Dorset coast to rest before continuing their journey. For the best chance of seeing this fascinating event, visit on a windy and cloudy day as this forces the birds to land. Also remember that the earlier you arrive the more flocking migrants you might spot. Another must-see is the Portland Bird Observatory at the Old Lower Lighthouse, which has great information about the flora and fauna of the area.
Discover some of the most stunning views on the British Isles as you take a hike through the Wye Valley. Located in Herefordshire, this landscape is divided into two areas, the Lower Wye Gorge and the Herefordshire lowlands. In the Lower Wye Gorge you can explore the impressive limestone cliffs as well as the wildlife-filled Wye river. Head to the Herefordshire lowlands to watch the river twist and turn around the red sandstone typical for the area. For the most scenic panorama, climb up the limestone cliffs of Yat Rock and enjoy the views of the Wye Valley's wild natural beauty.
This most southern point of mainland Britain will impress visitors with its incredibly vast range of wildlife. Rare plants can be discovered throughout Lizard Point thanks to its humid, oceanic climate and serpentine rocks covering the area. Walk down the coastal path and discover more of the surrounding flora and fauna or enjoy an amazing view of the Caerthillian Cove. Look out for the chough, a black and red bird which settles here during nesting season (February until August).
Located in southwest Wales, the Gower Peninsula is the perfect getaway for geologists, archaeologists and wildlife enthusiasts. You can explore saltmarshes, beaches, dunes, moors, woods and even reedbeds. Along the southern coast, you'll also discover incredible limestone cliffs topped with grasslands. Enjoy stunning panoramas that reach from the Bristol Channel all the way to Ilfracombe and Exmoor, and keep your eyes peeled for wild horses, buzzards, kingfishers and flowers such as wild asparagus, goldilocks aster and golden samphire.
Artificially created in the 1880s to store water for Liverpool, Lake Vyrnwy is home to diverse and beautiful wildlife surrounded by a scenic mountain landscape. Start your journey at the Victorian stone dam in the south of the reservoir and follow a narrow road that wraps around the lake. The region is ideal for enthusiastic birdwatchers – you can spot birds of prey such as ravens, sparrowhawks, buzzards and many more.
Although its name suggests otherwise, The New Forest in Hampshire was designated as a royal hunting ground by King William I in 1079. Visit this verdant landscape in June to see all kinds of flowers and plants in full bloom with many colourful insects swarming around them. If you’re lucky you might even spot a fallow, roe or red deer. The deeper you venture into these Hampshire woodlands, the more chance you'll have of seeing wildlife such as squirrels and goshawks.
London might be an urban metropolis but it leaves plenty of room for verdant parks and forests across the city. One of these green spots is Farthing Downs and Happy Valley; a country park with diverse flora and fauna, it straddles Greater London and Surrey. Walk beside the blooming flower beds or head into the majestic forest and enjoy the scenery.
Situated in Cambridgeshire, Wicken Fen was one of the first nature reserves to be created in Britain and was later saved from planned drainage by Victorian naturalists who proposed it to the National Trust. Even back then, they realised how important it was to conserve the variety and abundance of wildlife present in this seemingly small area. If you visit in August you can see a wealth of insects swarming around this fenland, many of which put on a colourful show.
As one of the most remote regions of Scotland, Ardtornish in Argyll and Bute features unspoiled nature with a rugged landscape, spectacular views and idyllic coasts. Although it’s not easy to get to, the incredible wildlife and panorama make the journey definitely worth it. One of the highlights is the many otters that have made a home in the surrounding lochs. Although usually river creatures, the coast of western Scotland has the largest otter population in Europe. For the best chance of spotting them, visit Loch Aline on the Ardtornish Estate in August.
The Scottish archipelago of Orkney is made up of 70 islands and lies in the exact area where the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet. This unique location provides the perfect condition for rugged landscapes with wild waves and various kinds of swarming birds. Over 285 species of birds can be found among these islands' many cliffs, marshes, heaths and moors. Visit Birsay Moors on the mainland in summer to see the various wild flowers bloom, or come in September to make sure you see the rare Scottish primrose.
As one of the largest heather moorlands in England, the North York Moors are always a stunning sight to see. However, a visit in September is especially breathtaking as the flowering heather decorates the hills in a purple haze with bright yellow highlights. Here you can also spot the famous moorland birds as they feed on the shoots of heather. Watch hen harries and short-eared owls as they roam through the wild landscape.
Inspired to visit? See our guide to the North York Moors here
Concealed below the Lomond Hills, the Loch Leven National Nature Reserve features lagoons, marshes and even islands which create an ideal area for various birds to find food and shelter during the colder seasons. To get the best view of the wildlife, head to the RSPB reserve at Vane Farm where you can see across the main loch. You can also hike along the nature trails on the wooded hillsides close by to immerse yourself in the Scottish landscape.
Abandoned by any human habitants in 1948, the Monach Isles are characterised by their sandy beaches but also by their adorable animal dwellers. These remote islands are famous for being home to Europe’s largest colony of grey seals. As there are no permanent residents on the Monach Isles, they're the ideal location for the seals’ breeding season. Visit the isles in October to see all the cute newborn pups frolicking in the area.
Ideal for a quiet woodland walk, the Church Wood Reserve in Buckinghamshire is a favourite among birdwatchers as many species of finches live in this verdant forest. From goldfinches picking seeds from thistle heads and bull-headed hawfinches cracking wild cherry stones to greenfinches devouring berries, you'll need your camera at the ready. Visit the area in November to see colourful bramblings as they forage for food or soar through the trees.
Although you can have a scenic day out in Richmond Park all year round, one of the most exciting times to visit is in November as rutting season is in full swing. Watch as the stags’ antlers lock and they clash with each other to demonstrate their power. Other highlights of this royal park include cute animals such as badgers, foxes and owls as well as huge ancient trees. First opened officially as a park in 1637, the green space was used as a royal hunting ground, though nowadays it offers a leafy escape for many Londoners.
Step back in prehistoric time by visiting this quaint bay hidden beneath the Jurassic coast of Dorset and Devon. As you walk along Lyme Bay, you will discover many fossils along the cliffs and shore. Some fossils embedded in the rock along Monmouth Bay measure up to three feet (1m). Visitors can also explore the diverse sealife hiding in the many rock pools around this area or just enjoy the view onto the clear waters of Lyme Bay.
Situated between Ireland and Britain, in the middle of the Irish Sea, lies the small nation of Isle of Man. The British isle is packed with ancient history and diverse flora and fauna. Although only 33-miles (53km) long and 13-miles (21km) wide, the island’s landscape changes from cliffs to woodlands and from mountains to moors. Perhaps one of the scariest inhabitants of the island is the cave spider, one of Britain's largest. But don’t worry, it’s reportedly hard to actually locate.
Now read: The UK's prettiest seaside towns you need to see to believe