Wildlife and Nature

Wildlife and Nature

What are they and what do they involve?

Wildlife and nature venues focus upon aspects such as the local environment and showcasing wildlife in their intended habitats. Falconry centres and forest exploration are good examples of what you can expect from such a venue; the emphasis is always on the more natural elements of the world around us, and how we can help it to flourish.

What are the benefits?

In a similar manner to a Zoo/Wildlife Park and an Environment Centre, these venues are excellent ways of educating students about the world around them in an accompaniment to their classroom learning. Experiencing wildlife in their natural habitats and seeing the effect humans can have upon them can be a new and memorable experience for many students, especially those from large cities!

What students is it suitable for?

Wildlife and Nature venues should interest students of all ages and tastes, but some extremely young students may get a little bored if the activity isn’t engaging enough; make sure the venue suits your specific group of pupils.

Costs?

Entry fees to wildlife and nature venues should normally come in under £10 – however, big establishments such as the Eden Project may run higher!

Safety Implications?

As with any outdoor activities, it’s important to make sure student groups are properly supervised and that the pupils obey any safety instructions issued to them on the day!

Venues for this Category

NWT Ranworth Broad is a fantastic place to bring your children, suiting smaller groups especially well. Situated only 20 minutes outside Norwich, Ranworth contains a wide range of habitats and a fantastic variety of wildlife, all to be seen from 750m of boardwalk. Find our floating visitor centre, nestled in reeds, with amazing views out across the open water at the end.

Explore NWT Holme Dunes (5 miles from Hunstanton) with your group. There are a range of coastal habitats including sand dunes, freshwater pools, grazing marsh and saltmarsh and much of the site consists of natural habitats maintained largely by coastal processes.

Wild, open Goatfell, at 874m (2,866ft), is the highest peak on Arran. Walkers and mountaineers who venture into this dramatic and challenging upland landscape are rewarded with spectacular views of the island and, on a clear day, across to Ben Lomond, Jura and the coast of Ireland.

Distinctive and iconic landmark with fine views across North Yorkshire and Cleveland

At just 1,049 feet (320 m) high, Roseberry Topping may not be the biggest hill you'll ever see, but it will certainly be one of the most distinctive. Its shape, caused by the combination of a geological fault and a mining collapse in 1912 has made the hill the most beloved landmark in the Tees Valley area.

Grab your wellies, for an unforgettable learning experience outdoors designed to support your teaching and learning in school.

Slimbridge Wetland Centre is an unforgettable day out for groups – it’s the wetland that inspired Sir Peter Scott to found WWT in 1946. When your group visits, you will see why.

Beautiful sandstone headland renowned for its eighth-century chapel and rock hewn graves; a wonderful urban green space

This sandstone headland, south of Morecambe and north of Heysham port, rises majestically above the sea. See the remains of St Patrick's Chapel, built in the early Medieval period and now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The eight body-shaped, rock-cut graves here are believed to be unique.

Lakes formed from the flooding of a disused gravel pit, surrounded by woodland, wetland and meadow that supports a wide range of wildlife, with one mile surfaced path around the lake.

Local groups include model boating and angling regularly use this site. The site is managed for recreation and conservation by East Staffordshire Borough Council.

Loads to do including milking, lamb feeding, pony grooming, and cart rides. Huge indoor play arena with toy tractor circuit and bouncy castles. Vintage Garage and Welsh Guards Museum. Exciting extras: Junior Driving School and quad bikes. Great Tearooms and picnic areas.

Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, working in partnership with Lafarge Tarmac, are setting up an exciting new Forest School Project at Panshanger Park.

Delivering exciting, hands-on environmental education. Opportunities to explore and compare habitats through pond dipping, woodland and grassland mini beast hunt. Look into food chains, life cycles, adaptation. Identify seasonal signs in nature. Forest School sessions available.

Delivering exciting, hands-on environmental education. Opportunities to explore and compare habitats through pond dipping, woodland and grassland mini beast hunt. Look into food chains, life cycles, adaptation. Identify seasonal signs in nature. Forest School sessions available.

Delivering exciting, hands-on environmental education. Opportunities to explore and compare habitats through pond dipping, woodland and grassland mini beast hunt. Look into food chains, life cycles, adaptation. Identify seasonal signs in nature. Forest School sessions available. For early years through to Key Stage 2.

Knettishall Heath is a rare Breckland landscape of SSSI heath, grassland and woodland, which dips down into the Little Ouse valley. Archaeological and geological features add to the interest and the range of opportunities for discovery and learning. There are toilets, a play area and picnic area. We can also offer shared days with nearby Redgrave & Lopham Fen.

Welcome to The Nature Discovery centre, a visitor centre with beautiful lakes that adjoins Thatcham Reedbeds SSSI nature reserve. Children can  explore Cold Ash stream, follow a lakeside walk and enjoy close up experiences with many species of resident and migrating birds.

A Wonderful Wetland

Britain's largest dune loch is a joy to visit any time of year. In winter, thousands of wild geese, swans and ducks fly in, including 20 per cent of the world's population of pink-footed geese – it's a sight you'll never forget.

Visit a thriving colony of grey seals that have been breeding on the Lincolnshire coast since the 1970s. A number of different habitats to explore and plenty of wildlife to discover.

Come explore amongst the 200-year-old trees!

Penn Woods are achingly explorable, ideal for minibeast hunting, leaf collecting, pond dipping, ladybird spotting, snail racing, picnicking and almost anything else you like to do outdoors with the kids!

In an area renowned for its rich stock of ancient woodland, Penn Wood, at its very heart, stands out as one of the largest.

Woods Mill is a 44-acre Nature Reserve that covers a variety of habitats including meadow with hedgerow, freshwaters and woodland. Most of the reserve is now accessible by wheelchair. There is a classroom with a wide range of equipment for indoor and outdoor studies suitable for all age groups.

Glorious beach with dramatic sand dunes, surrounded by sweeping coastal pinewoods

Red squirrels, natterjacks, prehistoric footprints and miles of coastal walks are just waiting to be discovered - part of Formby's amazing and ever changing landscape. 

Enjoy breathtaking sea views or a picnic; head out on a bracing coastal walk or find out about Formby's fascinating coastal history with links to asparagus growing and the early days of aviation.

Nature reserve with bird hides, a visitor centre with wildlife explorer backpacks and picnic area. Free to visit.

These packs include trail notes, games and spotter sheets with different wildlife to look out for. Kids can follow the trail through the grassy glades, woods and pond at their own pace.

Majestic views across mid Wales, and a 72m high dam holding back 50,000 megalitres of water, makes this one of Severn Trent Water's most spectacular visitor sites.

A 210 hectare nature reserve with a diverse mosaic of habitats including marshes, ponds, pools, woods and grasslands. Find the Kingfisher Tearooms nestled in the middle of the reserve serving delicious homemade food. Lots of accessible paths and hides to view the brilliant wildlife. Take a session out with the education team to find out more!

Featuring the iconic skyline of Pen y Fan, Corn Du and Cribyn

The Brecon Beacons offer a spectacular landscape rich in natural beauty. Free from light and noise pollution it's the perfect respite from the chaos of modern life. Whether you're seeking challenging walks, wide open spaces or secluded waterfalls, the Brecon Beacons provides the best of them all.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust is the leading environmental charity in Cheshire offering high quality environmental education field trips and sessions to schools or community groups.

Extensive area of upland heath

Covering as much as 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) of heather-covered hills with stunning views of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Welsh hills, this is an important place for wildlife, geology and archaeology.

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