Drovers Estate
Nestled in undulating hills, step back to a timeless rural life
Which places are open and what you need to know before you visit
We’ve opened more than 100 gardens and parks in England and Northern Ireland through advanced booking. From Monday 6 July, we’re gradually opening gardens and parklands in Wales. Tickets are released on Friday for the following week. More than 200 coast and countryside car parks are open across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. All National Trust houses remain closed for now. Read this article to find out what's open and what to expect from your visit.
Drovers in July
Silver washed fritillary
Our largest native fritillary is named for the streaks of silver on the underside of the wings. Although seen mostly flying in sunny rides, it actually breeds in the shadier parts of woodland.
Pyramidal orchid
The pyramidal orchid has bright pinky-purple, densely packed pyramid of flowers. It can be found across the South Downs and is attractive to a range of butterflies and moths.
Ladies bedstraw
These frothy yellow flowers have a sweet, honey-like scent. It past times it was traditionally dried and used to stuff straw mattresses of monied ladies.
Adders
The adder is easily recognised by a dark 'zig-zag' stripe along its back. It hunts lizards, small mammals & ground-nesting birds. It prefers woodland, heathland and moorland habitats.
Dormouse surveys
Dormice are active from April to October so this is when the surveys are carried out. They are a threatened species due to losses of their habitat but they are thriving here.
Snakes in the grass
The green and yellow grass snake is our longest snake and can be found across many habitats. During the summer they can be spotted basking in the sun near water.
Basking lizards
The common lizard is unusual among reptiles as it incubates its eggs inside its body and 'gives birth' to live young rather than laying eggs. Watch out for one basking in the sun from April.
