Get
out and about!  |
Get out and about in some of our most popular tourist
hotspots around the British Isles. Go pond dipping at London Wetlands and rock
pooling at the Giant's Causeway. Or why not enjoy a bird and bug extravaganza
at London Wetlands? | Cheddar
Gorge - explore flora and fauna from top to bottom.
Photo - Cheddar Caves
and Gorge. |
The great thing about popular tourist
spot is the diversity of the wildlife from birds and butterflies to crabs, plants
and lichens.
Here's a few tips on making the most of your visits: Giant's
Causeway  The
Giant's Causeway is a surprisingly good place for rock pooling trips, and there's
an amazing selection of marine life to look out for.
*
Take a closer look at the seaweed - it was once used for bleaching linen and was
even cooked in a local dish called 'sloake', made from carrageen seaweed, the
long frondy type. * You might think that the
plant life at the Giant's Causeway would be very fragile due to the exposed cliff
faces and the wind, rain and cold. Although
it's a tough place to live, many plants have adapted to the conditions, including
the Oysterplant, which is usually found on the shingle near the sea, and is named
because its leaves taste of oysters.
* Also look for Scots Lovage, which
is only found in Northern Ireland and Scotland, Sea Spleenwort, Devils Bit Scabious,
Bird Foot Trefoil (a member of the Shamrock family) and Thyme Broomrape.
Cheddar
Gorge  Enjoy
summer wildlife in and around Cheddar Gorge including rare flowers, plants and
trees:
A good way of seeing the changing geology and plant life at Cheddar
Gorge is to work your way from the top of the gorge right down to the bottom.
The
Cliff Top Gorge Walk is a three mile circular toute which will take you through
grassland rich in wild flowers. Allow about two hours to complete the full
walk circuit. What to look out for en route: *
The Gorge's Carboniferous limestone plateau is dominated by grassland. No herbicides
are used so unusual species flourish including many varieties of Orchid. Also
look out for Harebell, Rock Rose, Marjoram, and colourful patches of Wild Thyme. *
The Gorge's crags and cliffs rock ledges support plants which will only grow on
rock ledges. The Cheddar Pink is one of Britain's
rarest plants and is unique to the Cheddar Gorge. It blooms around late spring
and early summer. Look for it on the cliff top edges. Also
look for Cheddar Bedstraw and Little Robin. Mosses and lichens are also to be
seen. * As the gorge gently descends from
its upper to mid slopes, a thick cover of Hazel and Oak coppice takes over from
the grassland.
London Wetlands  The
London Wetlands Centre offers a great day out adults or families not far from
the hubbub of the city.
Here are our top wildlife activities on the reserve
in summer: Water world *
The Wildside area boasts small pools which are prefect for dragonflies and amphibians
in the summer. It's easy to explore the myriad
of pond life by following the network of ponds and wetland meadows linked by boardwalks
and meandering paths. * Keep your ears open
for the sound of March Frogs croaking loudly on hot summer days. *
Pond dipping is a great activity for kids. Head down to the Pond zone in the Waterlife
section of the reserve to get stuck into some serious pond dipping. The
centre runs guided sessions in the raised pond area where children can discover
a wide range of aquatic life on a Great Pond Safari. *
Discover which plants like to live in and around water in the reserve's Waterlife
section. There are also three designer gardens with top tips on how to create
your own water garden. Bird spotting *
As well as the pond life in the Wildside area, look out for Sedge and Reed Warblers
in the summer. * Look out for details of special
events including dawn chorus breakfast tours and free guided tours. *
Head for a hide! The centre has several bird hides including one at the Reservoir
Lagoon and others on the north and south sides of the Great Lake. The lagoon is
a particularly good spot for breeding birds. *
Don't forget to visit the Observatory which offers great views over the Main Lake
- it's a good spot for watching birds coming and going.
Photo
credits  Thanks
to London Wetlands for the images of the reserve.
Cheddar
images courtesy and copyright of Cheddar Caves and
Gorge. | 
