Articles in ‘Southern England’
February 19th, 2010
In this intriguing documentary, based on his book The Wild Places, Robert Macfarlane warns us not to write off over-developed and over-populated Britain in the quest for wilderness. Wild nature is there under our noses, in the most unexpected of places, and Macfarlane helps us focus on it, just as his friend Roger Deakin opened his own eyes.
Essex was chosen as an apparently unlikely location to commune with nature. Condensing a year of exploration, the film shows startling beauty among sewage works and dual carriageways. The contrast is beguiling: a peregrine falcon soaring past Tilbury Power Station is the angelic and the toxic closing-up against one another. Read the rest of this entry
England, History of the British landscape, Natural history writing, Radio and television nature programmes, Southern England | Tags: bbc nature documentary Macfarlane, exploring nature in England, legacy of Roger Deakin, nature in industrial Britain, red seals in Essex, return of the Water Vole, Robert Macfarlane, The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane, wilderness in industrial Britain|
February 4th, 2010
A contender for this title is the 6-mile Bath Skyline walk, the most frequently downloaded trail from the National Trust webpage. The National Trust owns 500 acres of land at the edge of the city, only a mile from the centre. Safe from urban development, the land is a mix of woodland and meadows, rich in wildlife and flowers, with views of the famous Bath stone terraces in the valley below.
Outdoor activities, Southern England, Walking in Britain | Tags: Bath Skyline walk, best walk in Britain, top national trust walk, walking around Bath|
August 19th, 2009
An airy place to stretch your legs, Rodborough Common is perched steeply over Stroud, on the edge of the Cotswolds. Any time of the year is good for extensive views of the Severn estuary and Welsh mountains on the horizon, but spring to summer are best, as the carefully managed chalk grassland is a haven for butterflies and wild flowers. Read the rest of this entry
England, Flora of Britain, Southern England, Walking in Britain, Wild flowers of Britain, butterflies of Britain | Tags: Autumn ladies tresses, Duke of Burgundy butterfly, greater horseshoe bat, limestone grasslands, Stroud Rodborough Common, walking with good views, walks near Stroud, weekend in Stroud, where to find orchids, where to see butterflies|
August 7th, 2009
Up on the windswept Needles Headland on the Isle of Wight above the iconic Needles rock formation are a group of coastguard cottages let by the National Trust. Plain and functional, they are situated in an atmospheric location with spectacular views. The three cottages are named after ships wrecked on the Needles - Irex and Pomone, and Varvassi, which was the last big ship to founder on this treacherous coast, back in 1947. Much of its cargo of Mediterranean wine was washed up on local beaches. The cottages are part of a 370-acre site of open downland owned by the National Trust.
Country accommodation in England, Country accommodation in the UK, Southern England | Tags: coastguard cottages to rent, cottage on Needles Headland, cottage with spectacular view on English coast, isle of wight cottages, national trust cottages on isle of wight, where to stay on the isle of wight|
August 7th, 2009
The western tip of the Isle of Wight peters out in a series of three jagged rocks known as the Needles. You might think they owe their name to their sharp edges but it turns out there used to be a fourth, needle-shaped, rock called Lot’s wife, as shown in Isaac Taylor’s map of Hampshire published in 1759. Read the rest of this entry
Geography of Britain, History of the British landscape, Landforms of Britain, Nature trivia about Britain, Southern England | Tags: Chalk formation in south England, chalk rock formations in England, famous rocks of England, iconic landmarks of Britain, origen of the Needles, Things to do on the isle of Wight, things to see on the Isle of Wight|
The RSPB is gathering extensive information about exactly where swifts are nesting in the UK. It is suspected that their rapid decline in recent years is linked with a drop in suitable nesting sites, as buildings are modernised.
The first year’s survey reveals that of the houses where swifts are nesting:
A new generation of commoners will receive financial support to ensure animals continue to graze in the New Forest and so conserve its rich biodiversity.
The Co-op is further expanding its 
There are now some excellent landscape blogs covering Britain. Here are a few:
With more and more people wanting to grow their own fruit and vegetables, the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners have over 100,000 people on their waiting lists. The National Trust have responded to this demand by allocating land for “super allotments” or community farms. In return for a monthly fee, members will decide what should be grown, and have the opportunity to work on the farms, receiving a share of the produce. 
