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Places to see butterflies
Written by
Matthew OatesSpecialist volunteer, butterflies, National Trust
Nothing says summer better than a walk in the sunshine with beautiful butterflies darting among the flowers and foliage. Our specialist butterfly volunteer, Matthew Oates, has chosen his top places to see butterflies across the country to help you spot butterflies during the summer months.
- Arnside Knott, Cumbria
- Explore stunning wildflower meadows and woodland where many butterfly species thrive. Arnside Knott is a renowned UK butterfly spotting site. It's home to rare species like Scotch Argus and High Brown Fritillary.Spot butterflies at Arnside Knott
- Ashclyst Forest, Devon
- In spring and summer, Ashclyst Forest on the Killerton Estate is teeming with butterflies. On a leisurely 1.5 mile walk around the forest, you may see the small pearl-bordered fritillary. You might also see the silver-washed fritillary, which is known as the 'happiness butterfly’ and is especially attracted to red and orange clothing. Ashclyst is also popular with the bramble-loving white admiral.Find butterfies in Ashclyst Forest
- Bookham Commons, Surrey
- One of the best woods in England to see the rare and elusive purple emperor butterfly. Each afternoon in July and August at Bookham Commons, the males gather at two special clumps of trees and put on amazing territorial displays. You’ll also be able to see plenty of other butterflies with 29 British species found here, along with many birds.Go in search of purple emperors
- Charlecote Park, Warwickshire
- Charlecote Park's beautiful garden is perfect for butterfly spotting. It's home to a variety of flowers which attract many butterfly species. Volunteers actively preserve the habitats to ensure the vibrant display of butterflies continues to thrive.Experience butterfly spotting at Charlecote Park
- Chirk Castle, Wrexham
- Walk through Chirk Castle's magnificent meadows where you can see butterflies flittering among the wildflowers. The 480-acre estate also features woodland, grassland and uncut areas that provide essential food sources for butterflies.Find butterflies at Chirk Castle
- Compton Down, Isle of Wight
- Being slightly warmer than the mainland, the Isle of Wight is great place to spot butterflies, with 43 out of the UK’s 61 butterfly species in residence. This walk takes you along the chalk ridge that runs through the middle of the Isle of Wight where you'll find lots of lovely flora and insect life. Species you might see include the Adonis blue, chalkhill blue, brown argus, dark-green fritillary and Glanville fritillary. In late summer you can often catch a glimpse of the clouded yellow butterfly.Find butterflies on the Isle of Wight
- Cwm Tydu to Cwm Soden, Ceredigon
- A steep combe running down to the sea leads to a small stony bay, through oak woodland and gorse and bracken glades. This is one of the last places in Wales where the pearl-bordered fritillary, small pearl-bordered, dark green and silver-washed fritillaries can be seen. Extensive work is carried out here each year to help ensure the survival of the pearl-bordered fritillary, which flies from late April to the end of May.Spot butterflies on a walk
- Heddon Valley, Devon
- This short but challenging walk takes you along some of the highest and most spectacular sea cliffs in England and is a must-do for butterfly lovers and photographers. Parts of this walk go through the habitat of the rare high brown fritillary, as well as the more common dark green and silver-washed fritillaries.See different butterflies in Heddon Valley
- Minchinhampton and Rodborough Commons, Gloucestershire
- Britain's rarest butterfly species, the Large Blue has been successfully reintroduced to the area after they disappeared from the UK in the 1970s. Their return is thanks to a special collaboration with several partner organisations.See butterflies at Minchinhampton and Rodborough
- Mount Stewart, Country Down
- Wander through the many acres of breath-taking woodland, parkland and meadows to see a variety of butterfly species, especially during peak bloom season in the summer.Try butterfly spotting at Mount Stewart
- Sheringham Park, Norfolk
- Butterfly species like White Admiral, Purple Hairstreaks, Red Admiral, Peacock and Comma are often seen fluttering through the park. The rarely seen Purple Emperor butterfly has also been spotted at Sheringham Park on several occasions.Watch butterflies at Sheringham Park
- Speke Hall, Liverpool
- The meadows at Speke Hall are the perfect place to spot butterflies when they’re full of wildflowers – recent sightings include the day-flying six-spot burnet moth and small copper. Other butterflies that have established themselves include meadow browns, gatekeepers and common blues. Take the Hidden Paths trail and venture through the meadow to see which butterflies you can find.Spot butterflies in Speke's wildflower meadow
- Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshite
- Wicken Fen is a top spot for butterfly enthusiasts. The stunning reserve supports a range of beautiful and rare butterfly species, thanks to its rich wetland habitats. You can take a walk in the glades, where it's common to see butterflies feeding on the plants.Discover butterflies at Wicken Fen
- Welshmoor, North Gower, Wales
- Take a relaxing walk around Welshmoor to enjoy the home of marsh fritillaries and narrow-bordered bee hawk-moths and look out for the 25 different species of butterflies in this hidden paradise for wildlife.See butterflies at Welshmoor
- Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire
- The meadows in Upper Wharfedale are extremely rich in flowers because of meadow management. The range of flowers attracts different types of butterflies, such as the common blue butterfly, which you can see flitting over grassland from May to October, as well as the northern brown argus and the green-veined white.See the butterflies in the Yorkshire Dales
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