Deep in the purple empire butterfly walk
This walk takes you through one of the best woods in England for sighting the elusive Purple Emperor butterfly. Purple emperors are Britain’s second largest butterfly, with a wingspan of over 8cm. It was recorded here on June 11 2017, at the earliest point in more than 120 years, following balmy temperatures in the spring. It is thanks to decades of work by National Trust rangers to protect the specialist habitats it needs. Richard Fox, Head of Recording at Butterfly Conservation, said: “The Purple Emperor is the rock star of the butterfly world – it’s glamorous, elusive and has some unsavoury habits – and its appearance each year is eagerly awaited by wildlife watchers."
Spot a variety of butterflies and many birds in the woodland
Each afternoon the males gather at two special clumps of trees and put on amazing territorial displays. You’ll also enjoy plenty of other butterflies and many birds.
Map
Start:
Near Bookham station, grid ref: TQ130565
1
Leave Tunnel car park and head north-west. Search for purple emperors sipping moisture along the paths on the lower slopes of the common, especially between 10am and 11.30am. You can also see them later on by the 'master trees'.
Purple Emperor
The purple emperor season begins around 24 June, peaking in the second week of July. From noon to early evening, the males can be seen at the Mark Oak and Hill Farm 'master trees'. By August the butterflies are over. See the purple emperor website for more information: www.thepurpleempire.com.
2
Follow the main path (Common Road) towards and past the houses. All the open, sunny rides in this part of the commons may reveal male purple emperors (rotting fruit and even dog poo are popular places for them). Look out for the closed wings of the male that resemble a sharks fin.
White admiral
The white admiral is common at Bookham Commons, so much so that in most years the rare black admiral colour form occurs. See them in shadier places, from mid June to late July.
3
Turn right onto Hollows Path that leads past the lakes. They're worth exploring and tend to be good for white admiral, silver-washed fritillary and dragonflies.
Silver-washed fritillaries
Silver-washed fritillaries are abundant during July and August in Bookhams woods. Look for them feeding on the nectar of brambles and thistles. The males produce a scent on their wings that attracts females.
4
Turn left before the wood edge and go up Broadway. This leads to the Mark Oak 'master tree' on the left, just before the ride junction at the top. Purple emperors fly around the tall turkey oaks here but can be difficult to spot. Patience is needed.
Master trees
In the 1970s, two purple emperor 'master tree' situations were discovered at Bookham Commons. These are special groves, usually oaks and the tallest trees in a wood where males fight to protect their territory, and females come to mate. The males frequently chase off wood pigeons that invade their patch. You should see at least one or two purple emperors in an hour. In the morning, you may see them on the ground from as early as 9am.
5
Turn left and westwards to follow High Point Path. There's lots of other wildlife to look out for too. Fantastic birdlife with woodpeckers, hawfinches and nightingales. Southern marsh orchids in scrubby areas and great-crested newts around the ponds.
6
Spend some time at the Hill Farm territory and at the second 'master tree' (a hornbeam) located on the north side of the path on the summit, just south of the farm.
7
Continue to the houses at the Isle of Wight enclosure and retrace your path to the car park and station.
End:
Near Bookham station, grid ref: TQ130565
