A natural history of Britain

Nature tourism in the UK

• Britain's oldest road
  

  

  The 87 mile-long Ridgeway National Trail is remarkable in being the oldest road in Britain and because you can still walk it, following the same route used since prehistoric times by travellers and, herdsmen.  The route connects the Dorset and Norfolk coasts, passing over rolling, open downland to the west of the River Thames, and through secluded valleys and woods in The Chilterns to the east. It is littered with historical sites dating back to the iron age. Lots of details from the National Trail website here.

• Children's farms in the lambing season
  

  

  A trip to a children's farm is a great idea in the lambing season.  The Guardian has a list of recommended places in their half-term holiday special, including Cannon Hall Farm in Barnsley, where they are expecting no less than 300 lambs and 50 piglets to be born in February, with more expected for Easter.  They have other attractions such a baby Alpaca called Snowy.

• Houseboat holidays in Devon
  
  
  These houseboat holidays in Devon look like a gorgeous way of spending a week or two.
  "This area boasts 35 acres of unspoilt countryside, offering the opportunity to stay on board a unique houseboat. Each widebeam barge is permanently moored on her own private jetty and sleeps 4 to 6 in ensuite cabins.  Watch the busy wildlife right outside the galley window. Land organic rainbow trout for dinner. Be awed by the silent swoop of the barn owl. And in the evening as you watch the sun setting from the aft deck know that it has given its solar energy to power your lighting for the night ahead."
  More here
• Ice skating in the Fens
  
  

  For the first time in many years, the freezing conditions have been perfect for ice skating, allowing the inhabitants of the Cambridgeshire Fens to revel in a centuries-old tradition. The Guardian

  The Fens of East Anglia, with their meres and washes, networks of drainage ditches, slow-flowing rivers and easily flooded meadows, form an ideal skating terrain. Skates were introduced into Britain from Holland or France in the seventeenth century. It is not known when the first skating matches were held, but by the early nineteenth century they had become a feature of cold winters in the Fens. The golden age of fen skating was the second half of the nineteenth century, when thousands of people turned out to watch the top skaters. Wikipedia

• Sleeping in an igloo
  

  

  David Munt from Potter’s Bar, Hertfordshire braved the Arctic weather and sub-zero temperatures to spend a night in an igloo in his garden. He decided to sleep in his creation after spending the previous day making the igloo from snow and ice, with help from the children on his street. More here

  • How to make an igloo.
• Ideas for walking in the snow
  

  

  Yowie snowshoes were designed, fittingly, in Australia.  They look like beach sandals attached to rubber flippers with a deep hexagonal tread and metal cleats.  Extremely versatile and user-friendly, once you're strapped in, with body weight nicely spread out to avoid sinking, you can enjoy  snow walks on the flat or more challenging treks up and down mountains.  The material reportedly offers better insulation from the cold than more conventional heavy-duty snowshoes. They are also lighter, cheaper and easier to stow in your ruck sack.

  Another idea is to use ice grips - unobtrusive devices you can attach to your usual footwear to radically increase traction on slippery surfaces.

• Herding ducks with the Quack Pack
  

  

  Meirion Owen is an expert sheep dog handler, who’s been working with Border Collies since he was nine. He now travels around Britain, showing the skills of this intelligent breed at fairs, private parties and, increasingly, corporate days out. The other stars of the Quack Pack are a troop of Indian Runner ducks, who love to charge around at a fast pace in a tight group (with the occasional lone rebel). First of all, Owen gives a demonstration of how it’s done, instructing his dogs with only four commands to herd the ducks through an obstacle course. Then the spectators have a go.

  "We never try to embarrass anyone," he says. "I'll always try to help. With duck herding, there is a sense of the unexpected and seeing a manager lose control of his ducks is great entertainment for the staff."

  A recent tendency among lowland livestock farmers is to replace Border Collies with quads, and Owen would like to turn this around by promoting the many qualities of this breed.  More information
  

  
  

• Living in the Stone Age
  

  

  The Woodcraft School runs various courses for acquiring skills that pre-historical man needed for survival.   Bark, Bone and Antler is a particularly interesting 2-day course that explores the materials available to our primitive ancestors.  Those attending will be taught about the sustainable harvest of bark, weaving crafts to make knife sheaths, folding crafts to make baskets and containers, and the preparation of bone and antler.

  This particular course will be held in May 2010 in West Sussex, with groups limited to 12, but there are many others to choose from.

• Parahawking in Wales
  

  

  Paragliders will use birds of prey to guide them to the best thermals.  They often report that the birds are not afraid of them and will even approach out of curiosity.  Parahawking takes this one step further.  You're taken on a tandem paraglider and specially trained birds of prey will accompany you on your flight, rewarded by offerings of food.  This unforgettable experience is available in Wales, organised by the Axis paragliding school

• Husky trekking in the Yorkshire moors
  

  

  With Pesky Husky Trekking you can become a musher for a day.  Instead of a sledge, you stand on a specially designed non-motorised scooter.  And instead of snow-covered arctic lands, the Siberian huskies whisk you through the Yorkshire countryside.  The experience is only available between October and March, after which it becomes too warm for an energetic husky.  You can start off on a practice lap or do a more advanced trek of up to two hours.