Grazing Giraffe Taken at Longleat Safari Park, UK by Alan Hern

1. Woburn Abbey Deer Park

Many different types of deer live together at this deer park, including the shy and retiring Musa deer, the Sika, Axis, Chital Deer, and Barasingha. Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer are more aloof and you may see these miniature friends hoofing around solo. The 11th Duke of Bedford founded the Deer Park as he wished to preserve many species on his estate. Today you can visit the 3,000 acre estate and see the deer on foot as you roam through.

2. Otters! Nationwide…except Kent

Otters are now back in healthy numbers after spending the last decade on the brink of extinction. There’s only one place you can’t see an otter in the wild: Kent! Thanks to the work of bodies like the Sussex Wildlife Trust, otter numbers have returned to healthy levels in most of the country.

3. Golden Eagle, Scottish Highlands

Golden eagles are not a common sight in the UK but there are a couple of places you can see them. This massive and impressive bird of prey traditionally homes in the open moorlands and wild mountains of Scotland. Eagles are incredibly loyal to their traditional nesting sites and don’t like to have their territories or routines disturbed. Consequently, it’s hard to conserve eagles without the right habitat.

4. Dragonflies and damselflies

Dungeness RSPB Reserve is a great place to see British birds and of course, beautiful jewel-like dragonflies. Dungeness is made up of miles of shingle, particularly across the beach area. Altogether there are 40 species of dragon and damselflies in the UK. The sound of a dragonfly buzzing over a pond is one of the most familiar sounds of British summertime.

5. Longleat Safari Park

See all of nature’s charismatic megafauna at this famous and much loved wildlife park in the South West of England (between Bristol, Glastonbury and Southampton). You can see giraffes, lions, elephants and cheetahs all gambolling around the grounds of Longleat manor. Longleat is an 18th century house in 900 acres of manicured parklands, providing a grand setting for corporate events and weddings.

Be careful when out trekking in the UK. Although we have adders and vipers (venomous snakes native to the UK) , we don’t have anything too dangerous lurking in our wilds. That will take care of those clinical negligence claims you’re thinking about filing when you’re flailing about in A&E).

Remember to plan ahead if you’re going somewhere remote and bring a fully charged camera with you, or a notepad, or whatever you use to collect your data or make memories!

Doreen Cruise loves nature conservation and social media – sometimes together!

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Richmond Park

Richmond Park is the largest Royal Park in London and spans almost 2,500 acres. It is approximately 30 minutes from central London and resembles English countryside pictures from the fabled story of Robin Hood. There are many gates for entry to the park, and the Richmond Gate is the best entry. This park features panoramic vistas of the capital, including St. Paul’s Cathedral and King Henry VIII’s Mound.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Vince O’Sullivan

There are many paths throughout the park, and visitors can trek around the ponds and through Deer Park. One of the best areas to visit in the park is the Isabella Plantation. It is a visual wonder of magnolias, camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons. The Isabella Plantation is part of the Richmond Park Site of Special Scientific Interest and is great for birdwatchers. Redstarts, Whitethroats and Green Sandpipers are often spotted.

Richmond Park is also a great venue for sports. An area of the grassland that is north of Roehampton Gate is equipped for rugby and accommodates four adult pitches. Visitors can also rent horses from the local stables to go horseback riding through the park. For golfers, the park has two 18-hole golf courses with a clubroom and pro shop.

Hampstead Heath Park

Inspiring the writings of C.S. Lewis, the Hampstead Heath Park has long grasslands to picnic in, woods to stroll in and ponds to swim in. The park is perfectly juxtaposed and provides scenic views of the Canary Wharf Tower, the London Eye and St. Paul’s Cathedral. In addition to swimming in the ponds, the park is set up for a number of fun activities.

There are tennis courts, golf practice nets, croquet lawns, the Butterfly House and a zoo. The free zoo has exhibits of exotic mammals and birds, including kookaburras, ring-tailed coatis and ring-tailed lemurs. The Butterfly House has enclosed spaces for close-up views of stunning tropical species and areas where visitors can study the life cycle of these beautiful insects.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Cristian Bortes

St. James’s Park

St. James’s Park is a lush retreat from the city and is bordered by Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Palace and Kensington Palace. In addition to scenic views of the palaces, the graceful arc of the London Eye can be admired from the Blue Bridge. Rolling lawns stretch around the sparkling lake, which is home to many pelicans, geese and ducks.

During the warmer months, visitors can take in a concert, relax in the deck chairs, dine in the terrace at the park’s restaurant or alfresco with a picnic. There are also many ceremonial parades and national events that take place at the adjoining avenue of The Mall, which can be viewed from the park.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by - Simon -

This post was provided by the lovely people at hostelbookers.com. If you’re heading to London to enjoy its beautiful parks and sites book a hostel in London with HostelBookers.com

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