• Telephone: 07989 218860
  • Email: info@naturalderbyshiretours.uk

Locko Park (All Year Round)

Locko Park (All Year Round)

There is so much more to Derbyshire that the Peak District! Join me for an easy wildlife filled walk on my own local patch just outside Derby. This is an area I know intimately and combines some fantastic, wildlife rich, lowland habitat.

Grey Wagtail can be encountered all year round (picture: Joanne Thomas, May 2022)

This walk takes us through a great mixture of arable and pastoral farmland, parkland and woodland with an exciting mix of wildlife all year round. The following description gives you an idea of what we can expect to encounter and when:
Spring: The best time for farmland specialists – Brown Hare are chasing, boxing and give great views, especially early in the morning or the evening. Groups of Fallow Deer stags (the rut a distant memory) can often be see in sociable groups of a half dozen or more at this time and its also a great time to encounter the rapidly declining and charismatic Grey Partridge which is still present here. Stunning Great Crested Grebes have returned to the lake to breed and can be seen in their courtship dance whilst Grey and Pied Wagtails feed along the shoreline. The parkland wakes up to the sound of drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker and singing Nuthatch and Mistle Thrush. Buzzards display overhead, sorting out their territories whilst the first Swallows hawk over a lake bordered by stunning Bluebells, Lesser Celandines and Wood Anemones. Passage migrants can include Wheatear and Yellow Wagtail.

Summer: As Spring turns into Summer, Warblers have returned to add to the bird song followed by later migrants such as Spotted Flycatchers, Swifts and the dashing Hobbies that use the area and can be seen chasing birds near the farms and hawking insects over the local woodland. With young to feed Barn Owls can be seen hunting later in the day whilst an evening walk can be rewarded with several foraging Bat species. Mid to late Summer is all about raptors with Kestrels busy feeding their new arrivals and the already generous Buzzard population is boosted by the fledging of this year’s youngsters – It is not unusual to see over 20 birds in the air joined with increasing regularity by Red Kites!

Mandarin Duck is a recent addition to the parks breeding birds (Picture: Joanne Thomas, May 2022)

The smaller, ungrazed meadows are a particular delight at this time of year with Knapweed, Birds Foot Trefoil  and Meadow Vetchling buzzing with bees and butterflies such as Skippers, Gatekeepers and Common Blues.

Autumn: With the harvest done, covey’s of Partridge become visible once more as Swallows mass on the telephone wires and fences ready to set off on migration back to Africa. October is a month of change as the Hirundines and warblers depart and the first of the winter Thrushes return – Redwings arrive first, followed by Fieldfares in November. Autumn is also the time for the big bird flocks to form – Linnets and Chaffinches forage in the arable fields attracting the attention of watchful Sparrowhawk’s and mixed groups of Tits flit through the woodland collecting other species as they go such as Goldcrest, Nuthatch, juvenile Chiffchaffs and maybe something rarer like a Yellow browed warbler? In the wooded area’s Jays compete with the local Squirrel’s for the plentiful Acorns and a mind boggling array of fungi start to appear.
Winter: Roving flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing scour the fields and hedgerows, battling the local Mistle Thrushes for the precious berries. Wildfowl numbers and variety increase on the lake with the return of Goosander, Teal and Pochard. With the local brooks and river often in spate, Kingfisher regularly use the lake in the winter months. Overhead look for flocks of Pink Footed Geese on their cross country flights (with the occasional bird joining the Greylags on the ground) whilst a sudden clattering of Wood Pigeons betrays the presence of a hungry Peregrine which regularly use the park in winter. With no leaves on the trees this is a great time to watch some of the resident parkland birds with great views of Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatches and a variety of finches – including wintering Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Brambling. With less daylight available an afternoon walk can often produce both Barn Owl and Little Owl to finish the day.
Duration: Available all year round as a longer walk (4-5 hours) and in May to September as a shorter (c2.5 hours) evening walk. 
Cost:  Full day walk (4-5 hours) – Adults £35, Under 16 £20 (must be accompanied by at least one full paying adult). There is a 10% discount when two or more adults book. 
Evening walk (c2.5 hours) – Adult (over 16’s) £20, Under 16’s £10 (must be accompanied by at least one full paying adult). A 10% discount will be given for a family/group of 3 or more booking together.

Need to know: On good, often paved paths with only a little bit of up and down (though a flat route is available) so it will suit most abilities. Some of the farm tracks can be muddy in Winter/early Spring so walking boots are recommended.


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What Our Visitors Say ...

"I had a half-day walk with Antony, hoping to see a Ring Ouzel, and to see Waders in their nesting habitat. I achieved both of these, and saw several other good birds as well, including an owl and several Pied Flycatchers (another first for me). Anthony was not only very knowledgeable but also good company, and I would recommend his walks for anyone who enjoys wildlife but would benefit from some local expertise."
Tim Bucknall - Dorset.
"Antony's guided tour began in Hartington, and included an upland area, Biggin Dale and Wolfscote Dale. This gave us experience of a great variety of habitats, and a chance to see lots of birds, including ravens, rooks, jackdaws, a peregrine falcon, wheatears and stonechats, dippers and wagtails and chiffchaffs. The weather was variable, but Antony made the whole tour really entertaining and informative. He is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of nature, and birds in particular. Just as important, he is a very friendly and approachable guide, always willing to engage in discussion on any aspect of the area. We felt that, in addition to having a most interesting walk, we came away with really useful advice about how to observe birds on our future walks. The weather improved as we walked along the River Dove, and we were treated to some very special moments of bird observation, aided by Antony's telescope and tripod. We would highly recommend Antony to anyone keen to learn more about local wildlife as part of a most enjoyable walk in Derbyshire."
D & C Longson - Derbyshire.
"My mum and I had a fantastic bespoke walk with Antony around the Brassington area and Rose End Meadows in Cromford. Beautiful scenery, glorious sunshine and a wealth of interesting facts about the flowers, birds, insects and butterflies we met along the way. We had a truly magical time watching a Silver-washed Fritillary dancing and gliding around right in front of us for fifteen minutes. The walk was a birthday present for my mum and Antony took the time to find out what her specific interests and level of knowledge were in advance so that he could plan the route accordingly. He even sent us more information afterwards to confirm a couple of butterfly and dragonfly IDs. Antony really knows his stuff and his enthusiasm is infectious. He also has an unbelievable eye and ear for tiny creatures, plants and sounds that would have passed me by completely. A relaxing, hugely informative and very enjoyable day all round. Many thanks again, Antony!"
L Breakwell - Nottingham.
"Thank you ever so much for the Dawn Chorus experience last Saturday. Even though the weather was terrible we really enjoyed it. We all said would do it again regardless of the weather."
J Tagg - Derbyshire.
"Thoroughly enjoyed two fantastic nature walks with Antony in September 2020. Loved our walk on the Eastern Moors spotting moorland birds and lots and lots of red deer, just starting their rut. Our second walk was an early morning exploration of the very different habitat of the Derwent river and Cromford Canal. Spent ages watching a beautiful pair of dippers dabbling in the river, a streaking Kingfisher and tons of little Grebe diving in the clear water. Antony was an absolutely brilliant guide. He has amazing knowledge about every single species of bird, mammal and lots of plants across the Peak District and knows exactly where to find them. He has such a friendly and welcoming manner that you never feel you're not 'expert' enough and he patiently answers every question. I would thoroughly recommend a nature walk with Antony to get to know the Peak District through the eyes of a wildlife fan! Very best wishes and see you next spring!"
N Marshall - London.
"Antony was not only very knowledgeable about swifts but also provided valuable information to participants on the walks regarding support for the various swift habitats in their neighbourhood. Highly recommended."
D Howson - Derby.
"A great evening watching swifts, and learning about other local wildlife. The leader was very friendly and knowledgeable. He gave us lots of interesting information about swifts, and how we could help with their conservation. There was plenty of time to ask questions, and the walk was taken at a leisurely pace to enable everyone to keep up and get involved. A lovely evening stroll that everyone seemed to enjoy!"
H Naylor - Derbyshire.

Walking Tours In Derbyshire

  • Walking based wildlife tours in Derbyshire for up to 4 people (walks for larger groups can be arranged).
  • Walks to suit all abilities/fitness’s.
  • Full day, shorter and bespoke walks available.
  • Expert local guide.
  • Prices include use of optics and identification books/charts, a delicious packed lunch (full day walks only) and hot drinks.
  • Transport for up to 4 people available to and from accommodation.
  • 5% of each booking will be donated to the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.

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Contact Us

Telephone:
07989 218860

Email:
info@naturalderbyshiretours.uk

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