Explore countryside and woodland
Get closer to nature and explore hundreds of outdoor places. We've got miles of hillsides and woodland waiting to be discovered.
Nature reserves
We look after some of the UK's most important natural habitats, including wetlands, heathlands, woodlands and coastline. Discover rare wildlife and plants, from natterjack toads to wild asparagus, when you visit a nature reserve in our care.
- Blakeney National Nature Reserve, Norfolk
- At the heart of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Blakeney National Nature Reserve boasts wide open spaces and uninterrupted views of the coastline. It's also home to the largest seal colony in England.Visit Blakeney National Nature Reserve
- Bridestones, Crosscliff and Blakey Topping, Yorkshire
- A 300-acre nature reserve, Bridestones is home to many animal and plant species. Look out for mosses, lichens, heathers, sundews and even adders basking in the early morning sun. On Blakey Topping, you might spot the white flowers of the rare dwarf cornel.Visit Bridestones, Crosscliff and Blakey Topping
- Lizard National Nature Reserve, Cornwall
- Famous for its unusual plants and geology, a walk through the grassland and heathland of the Lizard National Nature Reserve is worth the visit. Look out for wild asparagus and native heathers while listening out for Cornish coughs and stonechats.Visit Lizard National Nature Reserve
- Lundy, Devon
- Lundy Island sits at a crossroads for migrating birds. Gulls, Manx shearwaters and auks (including a sizeable puffin population) can be found nesting here in the spring and summer. The island is also a Marine Conservation Zone, owing to an abundance of rare seaweeds, coral and sponges on the surrounding seabed.Visit Lundy
- Murlough National Nature Reserve, County Down
- Follow a network of paths through the dunes, woodland and heath of Murlough National Nature Reserve. It's one of the best examples of dune heath within Ireland, with more than 600 species of butterflies and moths, including the rare marsh fritillary butterfly.Visit Murlough National Nature Reserve
- Newtown National Nature Reserve, Isle of Wight
- Wander through flower-rich hay meadows and ancient woodlands at Newtown – the only National Nature Reserve on the Isle of Wight. Take in views over the salt marshes and clear waters of the harbour, alive with sea birds such as oystercatchers and redshanks.Visit Newtown National Nature Reserve
- Orford Ness National Nature Reserve, Suffolk
- Orford Ness National Nature Reserve is an internationally important site for nature conservation. Breeding and migrating birds, specialised plants and other wildlife flourish in a rich mosaic of coastal habitats, including vegetated shingle, brackish lagoons, reed marshes and mud flats.Visit Orford Ness
- Sandscale Haws National Nature Reserve, Cumbria
- Sandscale Haws is an unusual sandy estuary in the Lake District with panoramic views of the mountains. The dune grasslands are home to rare plants, such as the dune helleborine, as well as one-fifth of the national population of natterjack toads.Visit Sandscale Haws
- Wicken Fen Nature Reserve, Cambridgeshire
- Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire is the oldest nature reserve in our care. Take a stroll through this rare landscape made up of lush grasses, peaceful waters, reedbeds and flowering meadows. These wetlands are home to thousands of plants and animals. Look out for Konik ponies, water voles and hen harriers.Visit Wicken Fen Nature Reserve
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