Spring is on the way! The days are getting brighter and amidst the wintry scenes the first flowers are emerging, cheerful white snowdrops are making a welcome return to our woodlands, riverbanks, hedgerows and gardens.
Soon, the rest of the countryside will be awakening from its winter dormancy. Fields and hillsides that have been barren over winter will begin to sprout. Grasses will start to grow, creating lush carpets of green across the rolling hills of South West England. And it won’t take long before these vibrant landscapes start to buzz with life.
South West England boasts some of the most diverse and ecologically significant grasslands in the UK. Many of them are protected conservation areas (Sites of Special Scientific Interest), and some are even designated ‘unimproved grasslands’, meaning they have never been ploughed or reseeded. These important landscapes are a vital haven for flora and fauna.
They also make for wonderful walking. Especially in spring. Primroses, daisies, bluebells, and orchids are just some of the wildflowers that start to paint the fields with splashes of color from March onwards. These blooms attract important pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and moths as well as a wide range of migratory birds returning from warmer climes. This is the season when the air starts to echo with the calls of skylarks, lapwings, and meadow pipits (to name just a few). The sight of birds hovering above the fields and hopping among the grasses and flowers is one of the many joys of walking in grasslands in spring.
The rolling chalk grasslands of South West England hold a special place for Alison and myself. They are our home, and it’s why they feature in so many of our trips. ‘Hill and Dale, doth boast thy blessing’ wrote John Milton in his Song on May Morning, we wholeheartedly agree.
There is still to book for a spring walking and hiking adventure in South West England. If you’d like to discover our top trips for spring, visit the spring page on our website. Or if you’d like to get started planning a spring tour, simply send us a message.
