Slindon Estate
A great and ancient downland estate
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.
Slindon 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.
White admiral
This butterfly has a distinctive delicate flight with short periods of wing beats followed by long glides. It feeds on bramble flowers in rides and clearings and lays its eggs on honeysuckle.
Purple emperor
This magnificent butterfly flies high in the woodland canopy feeding on aphid honeydew and tree sap. The males can sometimes be seen at ground level where they probe for salts from road surfaces or from animal dung.
Green hairstreak
The metallic green-coloured is a small, fairly shy butterfly that spends most of its time perched on vegetation or sunbathing. The caterpillars feed on a variety of plants, including gorse, broom and bilberry.
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.
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.
Hares
Brown hares and leverets can be spotted in April. They breed between February and September and the young leverets are born fully furred with their eyes open.
Badgers
The badger is our biggest land predator. It can be seen in gardens, as well as woodland, farmland and grassland. They live in large family groups in a burrow system known as a 'sett'.
