Britain’s wild places: where to escape the crowds this summer

If last year was the one where people started to notice the beauty of the wildlife right on the doorstep during lockdown, this should be the one where we start to get to know some of the best wild places in our own country, rather than presuming that all that is rare and interesting can only be found abroad. Of course, you could head to the famous, crowded and well-trodden nature spots like the New Forest or the Lake District. But then you’d miss out on the joy of really exploring the sort of wild places that naturalists like to keep secret. So here’s a guide to some lesser-spotted wild places around Britain: just don’t tell anyone else about them.

Silverdale

This really is a lovely Lancashire village on the sea, with so many different spots for really rare and exciting wildlife. At the RSPB Leighton Moss Nature Reserve, you can watch starling murmurations as the sun sets in the winter, see the amusingly-named bearded tits hopping about in the reed beds, and spot ospreys fishing.