Cornish Sea Safari

If you're heading to Cornwall in the coming months and like the idea of a boat trip to see the amazing local wildlife then you might be interested to learn more about Marine Discovery Penzance

How To Go Green For Your Holidays

Ahead of next month's Green Tourism Week (June 6-12) Wild & Green have put together ideas, inspiration and guidance on how to be a responsible tourist and have a great green holiday in the UK.

Learn more @ Wild & Green

Where's a top ten bluebell hotspot?  

Wombwell Wood, near Barnsley, has been named as one of the top ten places on the Forestry Commission estate in England to see bluebells. A vivid blue carpet has sprung up in the 145 hectare (362 acre) South Yorkshire wood – popular with local walkers and famed for its gnarled old oaks. Bluebells are a good indicator that a wood’s roots go back many centuries and those that grow in Britain represent a significant proportion of the world’s population.

The Forestry Commission has launched a new web page for people to post their bluebell images at http://www.facebook.com/#!/forestry.commission.england

Holiday Shopping @ Farmers Markets

When on your holidays in the UK you might want to do your bit for supporting the local economy and local food producers by shopping at a farmers markets.

Wild & Green Escapes has done some research and these websites look useful for finding out when and where farmers markets are running throughout the UK:

* UK http://www.farmersmarkets.net/
* Scotland  http://www.scottishfarmersmarkets.co.uk/
* Wales http://www.fmiw.co.uk/

Happy shopping!

Chicks away in Kielder!  

News from the Forestry Commission -

Nature lovers are being offered a rare chance to pay a house call on the next generation of owls in Kielder Water & Forest Park. The Forestry Commission is staging three spectacular owl nights in the 62,000-hectare wilderness on 13, 18 and 20 May when experts involved in a 30-year conservation project will take people to see newly born chicks. The event is being staged as part of Wild about Kielder, a major campaign by the Kielder Partnership to celebrate the North Tyne’s astonishing wildlife.

To join the owl nights you will need to book in advance by calling Kielder Castle Visitor Centre on 01434 250209.  The cost is £10 per person. All the events start at 7pm and meet at:

• Warksburn Picnic Site near Stonehaugh – 13 May
• Greenhuagh School, Greenhaugh, near Bellingham – 18 May
• Kielder Castle – 20 May

For more information on Wild at Kielder visit http://www.visitkielder.com/

Online Guide To Birdsong

The National Trust has a great online guide to birdsong on its website.  You're guided through the 5 minute birdsong broadcast, advised which birds are singing when and learn to identify the sounds of the robin, wren, chaffinch, blackbird and many others - well worth a listen!

Bluebells Arrive Early

According to the Springwatch Easter Special the bluebells have arrived early- by as much as 2 weeks!

The coming bank holiday weekend is a great opportunity to get out to your local woods and enjoy the sight of these brilliant blue flowers carpeting the woodland floor.

The Woodland Trust has a section on its website to help you find bluebell woodlands in the UK and the Forestry Commisson has done likewise. On the National Trust's website you can join its Bluebell Watch campaign and discover where bluebells have been spotted around the UK.