What to do and see in England, United Kingdom: The Best Nature & Wildlife Areas

November 21, 2021 Sheron Bogner

– in Europe  (green & dark grey) – in the United Kingdom  (green)
Restaurants in England

1. Turbary Woods Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary

Access Through Garden Centre 92 Chain House Lane Whitestake,, Preston PR4 4LB England +44 1772 323323 [email protected] http://www.turbarywoods.co.uk/
Excellent
90%
Good
8%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 2,467 reviews

Turbary Woods Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary

Turbary Woods Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary is a pure volunteer based, non profit group of volunteers. The flying display give you the visitors, Children & Adults, the chance to participate in the flying display and have our birds land on your gloved hand as they fly to you for their food. We have a collection of over 80 birds of prey including eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, vultures and more unusual species. All the birds are housed in large open fronted aviaries, sheltered in a woodland setting. We assist conservation and education of these beautiful Birds and we are involved with an average of 50 rescues each year.

Reviewed By Deborah047 - Blackpool, United Kingdom

Thoroughly enjoyed our day at Turbary Woods today. The sanctuary is right next to a garden centre which has a cafe, which also has toilets. The cafe was reasonably priced and the food was delicious. We were allowed to get really close to the birds and the staff were all friendly and informative and you can see that they are all passionate about the birds. We learnt lots and were encouraged to get involved with the bird display which was really entertaining and interesting, Will definitely visit again, thanks for a great afternoon. Family of four ticket was £18.00, adults £6, children £4 and oap's £4. I think the fees are reasonable as the upkeep of the place must be expensive.

2. Andy Howeys Birds of Prey Centre

Haggerston Castle Riding Stables, Berwick upon Tweed TD15 2NZ England +44 7882 084178 [email protected] http://www.andyhoweysbirdsofprey.co.uk
Excellent
96%
Good
2%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 527 reviews

Andy Howeys Birds of Prey Centre

Reviewed By PTStu - Motherwell, United Kingdom

We went as a family of 4 with our 2 boys (age 2 & 4). It was reptile day so we got to see and hold snakes, lizards, millipede, rat, baby owls and then the tarantula. The kids totally loved it and were buzzing. Me and Mum loved it too and managed to come out of our comfort zones by holding the tarantula and snake. The staff were so good with us they made it easy. I think we all enjoyed it as much as each other. I thoroughly recommend this for all ages. The staff really make the difference and make the experience good for kids & adults.

3. Exotic Zoo

Hinkshay Road, Dawley Lakeside Plant Centre, Telford TF4 3GZ England +44 1952 371570 [email protected] http://www.exoticzoo.co.uk
Excellent
88%
Good
9%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 425 reviews

Exotic Zoo

Please note our opening hours on christmas eve are 11am-2pm (Last entry at 1pm) The zoo is then closed throughout January. We will announce an open date soon. Exotic Zoo is one of Telford's best kept secrets, a real gem winning the hearts of visitors to this small and interactive zoo. Meet our friendly staff as you explore the zoo and find out all about the animals they are working with today. As a community zoo with entry only £4 for children and £5 for adults, you will be wanting to visit again and again.

Reviewed By JANEYfromBUCKS

Amazing place, highly recommend. We enjoyed the family VIP experience with head keeper Ryan, who made the day out one of our best family trips ever! He was extremely knowledgeable, great fun and fantastic with the animals. Great to see so many beautiful animals so happy and healthy.

4. Holly Hagg Community farm

Long Lane off Stephen Hill/Back Lane, Crosspool, Sheffield S10 5AG England +44 7779 067718 [email protected] http://hollyhagg.org.uk
Excellent
96%
Good
4%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 374 reviews

Holly Hagg Community farm

** CLOSED during Coronavirus outbreak ** Regular guided alpaca treks amidst woodland and beautiful scenery in Sheffield's Rivelin Valley. Advance booking for treks required via website. Monthly family friendly events to meet and feed the alpacas, go pond dipping and explore the 3 acre food growing garden and meadows. For these on-field events just turn up - details on Events section of the website. Volunteer sessions twice a week for fresh air, friendship and health. All welcome. Holly Hagg is a not-for-profit Community Farm.

Reviewed By bryonyp772

Santiago, who is known for his cheeky antics, was my friendly alpaca companion for today's walk. The Alpaca Trek, lead by enthusiastic, entertaining and down-to-earth members of the Holly Hagg Community Farm, has been one of my favourite and unique experiences this year. It was a lovely route and I enjoyed having Santiago's company, despite him walking me round in circles when I got his food out and when he wanted to jump in the bushes and eat them at many points throughout the walk. These antics made the walk interesting and gave us something laugh about. It may have been the first time he had seen sheep too, which was adorable! Santiago allowed me to stroke his back, neck and head - he was so soft and cuddly! The volunteers leading the trek were also very conscientious of social distancing guidelines and they followed those 'extra measures' to make sure everything was safe and healthy. I felt very comfortable with the set up and would definitely go again soon!

5. Wytham Woods

OX2 England +44 1865 726832 http://www.wythamwoods.ox.ac.uk/
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 4 reviews

Wytham Woods

Reviewed By SergeLourie - Richmond-upon-Thames, United Kingdom

Wytham Wood is owned by the University of Oxford and is around five miles from the city centre. It is just by the river Tames and has been studied by Oxford botanists for many years. It appears frequently in fiction especially in the Morse books of Colin Dexter, where bodies are often found in these woods. It is near the village of Wytham and we stayed in the excellent Swinford Manor Farm, which is near the western entrance to the woods, There are a lot of well maked paths and the flora are extremely interesting and attractive. To get access, you need a permit from the University but we found this process easy to undertake. The woods could be incorporated in a longer walk but there is a lot to see including a chalet and the sawmill

6. The Broads National Park

Norwich England +44 1603 610734 [email protected] http://www.visitthebroads.co.uk/
Excellent
72%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
2%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,226 reviews

The Broads National Park

Discover dramatic landscapes, raw natural beauty and a rare quality of light. Where big, bright skies meet endless horizons and dreamlike landscapes. A place where time stands still. Real peace, open space – it’s a place unlike anywhere else... The Broads National Park.

Reviewed By carolwise - Norwich, United Kingdom

We hired a day boat from Potter heigham and the views are amazing we also stopped of at a pub and the mooring was free. You see a lot of wildlife

7. Upton House & Gardens

Upton House Edge Hill, Banbury OX15 6HT England +44 1295 670266 [email protected] http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/upton-house/
Excellent
55%
Good
33%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
2%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,197 reviews

Upton House & Gardens

Come and see how Lord & Lady Bearsted made Upton House and Gardens the perfect country retreat for their family in the 1930s. You can also discover Lord Bearsted's famous art collection including works by Bosch, Stubbs and Canaletto. We have a stunning collection of porcelain too; so if you are visiting us for the first time you may wish to expect your visit to the house to last a minimum of an hour. Viewings of the house available by timed ticket from 11:00am with last entry to the house at 15:30 before closing at 16:00; the gardens, shop and cafe close at 17:00. Please bear in mind that the car park is 300 yards from the house.

Reviewed By srablair - Lytham St Anne's, United Kingdom

This is a wonderful property with a lot to see so allow plenty of time. We spent around 4 hours here including a nice visit to the cafe. Access to the house is by timed appointment and there is a choice of 3 tours to do at timed appointments too, so I would advise getting these scheduled in As soon as you arrive. There is a large garden to visit with a few surprises along the way and a good kitchen garden which I found inspirational. The house dated back to 17th Century although it was extensively redesigned in 1921. The redesign is interesting in its own right and the main draw is the house contents including spectacular art collection including paintings tapestries and Chinaware. We were interested in the history of the house and it's owners over the years which provide a glimpse into the past. Quite fascinating. There is a temporary natural science exhibition of portraits of scientists and environmental contributors which is very interesting. Is a tribute to the work of people from a range of backgrounds from Darwin to David Attenburgh via Chris Packham and Vivien Westwood!  Nice little exhibition which is worth 20 minutes look if you are here anyway. The cafe was doing a roaring trade and we enjoyed tea/coffee ,scone and jam and very nice shortbread.  We we were pleased to see that the clotted cream for the cream tea was served in a reusable pot which is much more sensible than the standard foil sealed type pot.  Very good visit.

8. Rivelin Valley Nature Trail

Starts Malin Bridge Rivelin Valley, Sheffield S6 5FG England 44-11-255-5202 http://www.rivelinvalley.org.uk
Excellent
73%
Good
23%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 345 reviews

Rivelin Valley Nature Trail

Reviewed By 642nickyc - Sheffield, United Kingdom

Starting from malin bridge enter the nature trail from the mouse hole and follow it passed an old mill pond to where you can split and go left by the next dam or right and cross the stepping stones, then onto rivelin park and across the bridge and follow the path to the s bends, cross the road and continue along the path passing old mill ponds and structures from an industry long gone, keep going and eventually you’ll come to the old post office which is the end of the nature trail, about 3-4 miles from here you’ve endless choices of where to go Hope this helps anyone interested Not suitable for infirm, pushchairs or wheelchairs in places due to the ground conditions, PS after heavy rain the river does cover the stones, don’t try an be a hero please and be safe

9. Paignton Zoo Environmental Park

Totnes Road, Paignton TQ4 7EU England +44 1803 697500 [email protected] http://www.paigntonzoo.org.uk
Excellent
65%
Good
24%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
3%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 5,145 reviews

Paignton Zoo Environmental Park

Paignton Zoo Environmental Park is a conservation and education charity located in South Devon. With around 2,500 animals across 80 acres, we have more species than anyone else in the South West. These include: lions, tigers, giraffes, crocodiles, rhinos, lemurs, flamingos, meerkats, orang-utans, Komodo dragon... the list is endless! We also have indoor and outdoor play areas, the Jungle Express train, a seasonal bird show and numerous food and drink outlets. With something for guests of any age to enjoy, you'll need all day to experience what we have to offer! Paignton Zoo is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).

Reviewed By A3559FQsaraha

Great zoo clean and well kept animals seem happy visit lots Brilliant for children good picnic areas good takeaway food available free parking Lovely shop

10. Charlecote Park

Charlecote Park Wellesbourne B4086, off A429, Nr Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9ER England +44 1789 470277 [email protected] http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/charlecote-park
Excellent
55%
Good
36%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,484 reviews

Charlecote Park

Charlecote Park has been home to the Lucy family since the 12th century. Their stories are told throughout the house by their portraits, the objects they collected from around the world and the design influence they had on the house and parkland. See how Mary Elizabeth Lucy remodeled the house in Victorian times. The gardens include a formal parterre, woodland walk and the wider parkland (inspired by 'Capability' Brown), which offer walks with picturesque views across the River Avon. A herd of fallow deer has been in the park since Tudor times.

Reviewed By alipaulwalsall - Stafford, United Kingdom

beautiful setting for a lovely historic house full of interesting historical facts lots of volunteers or guides to enhance the history of all the rooms, beautiful parkland with various walks and lots of deer to see , The Orangery restaurant and the new cafe were lovely and the food exceptional especially the homemade bread with the soup and panninis

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