30 ways you can get wild in Wiltshire this June

A guest blog by Emma Kirkup, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust

This June, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust (WWT) are encouraging people to get wild and reconnect to nature as part of the national 30 Days Wild campaign. We’ve put together a handy guide to 30 ways you can take part. Keep an eye on our social media feeds for other ideas from our team and across our nature reserves and share your ideas as well using #30DaysWild

Birdwatch on a bike

Wiltshire is home to some fantastic cycling routes. Why not take a leisurely ride and stop along the way to see how many different species of bird you can identify?

Visit somewhere new

Is there a nature reserve near to you that you haven’t visited before? Why not pop along to one and see what it has to offer. You’ll be surprised at the hidden gems you can discover on your doorstep.

Watch a wild webcam

Take a look at the webcam at WWT’s Langford Lakes nature reserve and see what you can spot on the lakes or feeding on the bird table. 

Lunch in the wild

Take a picnic and relax in the outdoors. 

Spot a wild mammal

Can you wait patiently enough to spot deer, a hare or perhaps even an otter? Take a look at the WWT website for ideas on what you might be able to find at our nature reserves.

Listen for wild sounds

Pop along to Vincents Wood, on the outskirts of Chippenham and listen out for different bird song.

Take in the views

Climb the steps to the top of the Devenish nature reserve near Salisbury and take in the impressive views across the Woodford Valley. You may even be lucky enough to spot a buzzard flying overhead.

Feel the wild under your feet

Take your shoes off and squelch your toes in the grass! 

Meditate in the wild

Try a spot of relaxation or yoga in the peaceful surroundings of a nature reserve.

Discover trees

Take a stroll through Green Lane Wood nature reserve, near Trowbridge and count the number of species of tree you can find. 

Identify a wildflower

Our Lower Moor Farm nature reserve is a haven for wildflowers, why not take notes on what you find and then identify them from a book or online?

Join in with our Big Wild Weekend

On Saturday 16 June, we’ll be running a Nature Taster event at Langford Lakes. Get hands-on and take part in this free, family-friendly event. The pop-up café will also be running that day, perfect for a spot of tea and cake! 

Look out for water voles

Jones’s Mill at Pewsey and Smallbrook Meadows in Warminster are both nature reserves where these rodents reside. Listen out for the ‘plop’ as they go into the water. 

Keep an eye out for butterflies

Blackmoor Copse, near Salisbury and Blakehill Farm, near Cricklade are both great nature reserves for spotting these invertebrates. 

Volunteer your time

Why not give something back to nature by volunteering at a local nature reserve? Here at WWT we have various volunteering options available including conservation work, administration and educational support.

 

Walk around Ravensroost

Take a walk through Ravensroost Wood nature reserve, near Malmesbury and stop off at our Shooting Hut. This iconic wooden building was erected in the 1930s and auctions were held here to sell coppiced wood. 

Keep your eyes peeled for kingfishers

These majestic birds can often be seen in a flash of turquoise at Langford Lakes, Lower Moor Farm and Smallbrook Meadows nature reserves or along some of Wiltshire’s rivers. 

Count the moths at night

Join us for an evening of moth counting at Morningside Farm, near Royal Wootton Bassett. How many species will you be able to spot and identify?

Make a bug house

Gather twigs, leftover bricks, leaves and moss and create your own haven for bugs in your garden. 

Snap a blue photo

A butterfly, a damselfly or perhaps even a clear blue sky. What can you find in the wild that’s blue?

Bee feeder

Create your own bee feeder with a milk bottle top, a piece of string and some sugar water. Perfect for gardens lacking flowers. 

Count sheep at Coombe Bissett Down 

Have trouble getting to sleep at night? Reconnect with nature at Coombe Bissett Down, near Salisbury and count our flock of Herdwick sheep. 

Talk to the birds

Practice your bird calls and listen out for any responses from your feathered friends! 

Take a visit to see our Belted Galloway cattle

Residing at Lower Moor Farm, and several other WWT nature reserves, our Belted Galloway cattle help us to graze our land. 

Watch the clouds from Morgan’s Hill

This elevated site offers not only fantastic views across the Wiltshire countryside, but also a great position to find shapes in the clouds and watch birds soaring above. 

Pond dipping

A fun activity for all ages, see what you can find when you dip your net into a pond. 

Lift some dry wood

Lift up some dry wood or a large stone and see how many bugs you can find living beneath it. 

Practice your macro photography

Whether with a smart phone or DSLR, hone your macro photography skills by using our nature reserves as your subject. 

Jump in puddles

Ok, so June is supposed to be warm and sunny but if the rain does fall then why not embrace it? Don those wellies and jump in puddles, bring out your inner child! 

Hunt for glow worms

On late summer evenings glow worms can often be seen sparkling on the slopes of Middleton Down nature reserve, near Wilton. 

We hope we’ve inspired you with some great nature-based activities. For other ideas and for information on our nature reserves in Wiltshire please visit our website here, and share your wild ideas with us this June using #30DaysWild.