Spring Birdsong Walk @ High Leas Farm, Riber
Description
Come and join us on the weekend of International Dawn Chorus Day with an easy, early morning ramble around our exciting regenerative farming project with our experienced guide, Antony.
We'll be listening and looking out for some of the amazing bird species that call the farm home as well as learning more about bird song and getting some tips on how to identify birds by their calls and songs.
At this time of year bird song is at its peak as male birds defend territories and uncoupled birds continue to try to attract mates. At High Leas our year round resident species have been joined by a host of summer visitors with some star turns such as Redstart, Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler and Cuckoo joining the soundscape and allowing some great views too! Last year also saw a male Pied Flycatcher take up residence in the farm buildings for a few weeks - will be lucky enough for it to return?
This is an ideal walk for anyone wanting to learn a bit more about bird song and identification or those just wanting to enjoy a lovely stroll in the countryside to a glorious soundtrack.
Tea and coffee will be available on our return to the farm and is included in the price.
Tickets for this walk are available directly from Heartwood SFC (High Leas Farm) on the following link:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/heartwood/1523419
Need To Know
Please dress for the great outdoors and wear sturdy footwear as we will be walking over potentially uneven ground. Bring binoculars if you have them but additional pairs will be available to borrow if needed.
Price:£10
Date:03/05/2025
Time:7:00 am
Duration:3 hours
Availability:4 places remaining
The Best of the White Peak 1
Description
A stunning circular from Hartington taking in classic White Peak farmland, a stunning well wooded dry limestone dale and the crystal clear waters of the River Dove as it cuts through a wonderful gorge.
Previous walks have regularly encountered Dipper, Peregrine, Kestrel, Buzzard, Red Kite, Wheatear, Grey Wagtail, Raven, Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Mandarin, Skylark and Meadow Pipit along with some special butterflies like Dingy Skipper & Wall Brown with swathes of stunning and rare flora such as Early Purple Orchid.
A beautiful part of the dales and a wonderful walk!
Need To Know
The weather can be very changeable in the Peak District in Spring so come prepared – Heavy rain may lead to a postponement/cancellation – Some paths are steep and rocky and may be slippy but don’t worry we’ll take our time.
Price:£20 per person
Date:04/05/2025
Time:6:30 am
Duration:5 hours
Availability:5 places remaining
The Best of the Dark Peak 2 *FULLY BOOKED*
Description
A wonderful walk taking in sections of classic Dark Peak habitat such as gritstone edge, open moor and sections of stunning hanging Oak woodland.
Previous walks have regularly encountered Ring Ouzel, Tree Pipit, Cuckoo, Stonechat, Whinchat, Redstart, Pied Flycatcher, Willow Warbler, Skylark, Red Grouse, Curlew, Golden Plover, Snipe, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Wheatear, Buzzard, Kestrel, Red Kite, Common Lizard, Oil Beetle, Green Hairstreak and Green Tiger Beetle. With the chance of Mountain Hare, Merlin, Hobby and Goshawk.
Stunning views throughout - one of our most popular walks and not to be missed!
Need To Know
The weather can be very changeable in the Dark Peak in Spring so come prepared – poor visibility or heavy rain may lead to a postponement/cancellation – Some paths are steep and may be slippy but don’t worry we’ll take our time. A reasonable level of fitness is recommended for this walk and is not suitable for those with mobility issues.
Price:£20 per person
Date:22/05/2025
Time:8:30 am
Duration:5 hours
Flycatchers and Chats at Padley Gorge & Longshaw
Description
A short stroll through the fantastic Padley Gorge who's twisted hanging Oak woodland is like something out of a fairy tale and is one of the best places in the county to catch up with one of our most welcome spring migrants - the Pied Flycatcher! The woods here also host a great array of other species including several species of warbler (most notably the declining and enigmatic Wood Warbler), Redstart and lots of wonderful residents like Treecreeper, Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Emerging from the woods we will take in the moorland of the Longshaw estate where the targets will be Stonechat, Tree Pipit and hopefully Cuckoo as well as the chance of Whinchat and Wheatear before descending back through the wonderful gorge.
Need To Know
Some ascent and descent through Padley Gorge. The paths can be muddy and slippy (depending on conditions) so walking boots are recommended
Price:£15 per person
Date:24/05/2025
Time:6:00 am
Duration:3 hours
Availability:6 places remaining
Nightjar watching in the Matlock Forest 1 *FULLY BOOKED*
Description
Join me for an exciting evening adventure as we go looking for one of the UK’s most fascinating bird species – the Nightjar! This cryptically coloured migrant returns to the UK in May and spends its days sat perfectly camouflaged on the floor of its heathland or clear-fell home before coming alive after sunset where its strange mechanical churring song, delivered from a perch, is often clearly audible. Our 2023 & 2024 events have seen us get amazing views of this nocturnal specialist as they hunted for their favourite moth prey and patrolled their territory (their flight often betrayed by their calls and the gleaming white wing patches of the males). With multiple birds flying around us and landing nearby at times these were truly memorable encounters!
Its not just Nightjars we’ll be hoping to see though as we’ll look for other nocturnal species such as roding (displaying) Woodcock, owls and bats whilst we wait. Previous walks have also enjoyed good views of Curlew, Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Swift and Roe Deer too!
Need To Know
It is only a very short walk to the viewing area but the ground can be uneven and/or muddy in places. A coat/warm layer is advisable after sundown and we also strongly recommend wearing a hat or hooded top and wearing or bringing insect repellent as the midgies & flies can be quite a nuisance on some warmer evenings.
Price:£10 per person
Date:30/05/2025
Time:8:40 pm
Duration:1.5 hours
Derwent Edge & Ladybower - Whinchats & Sandpipers
Description
We'll make the brief climb from Ashopton to the wonderful Derwent Edge where we will be looking for Ring Ouzel, Tree Pipit and lingering Cuckoo before descending again through large areas of bracken and grassland which is perfect habitat for one of our latest and most sought out summer visitors - the Whinchat!
Arriving at the reservoir the scattered trees along the shore here are excellent for Redstart whilst the shoreline should bring us sightings of our second target species the busy and charming Common Sandpiper with several pairs breeding around the water. Heading back to Ashopton the more wooded areas will give us the chance of Pied and Spotted Flycatcher as well as Willow and Garden Warbler. A variety of raptors can also be seen with Buzzard, Red Kite and Kestrel all regular along with the possibility of Goshawk, Peregrine and Hobby.
Need To Know
Some ascent and descent to Derwent Edge. The paths can be muddy and slippy (depending on conditions) so walking boots are recommended.
Price:£15 per person
Date:05/06/2025
Time:6:30 am
Duration:3 hours
Availability:6 places remaining
The Best of the White Peak 2
Description
A stunning circular from Hartington taking in classic White Peak farmland, a stunning well wooded dry limestone dale and the crystal clear waters of the River Dove as it cuts through a wonderful gorge.
Previous walks have regularly encountered Dipper, Peregrine, Kestrel, Buzzard, Red Kite, Wheatear, Grey Wagtail, Raven, Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Mandarin, Skylark and Meadow Pipit along with some special butterflies like Dingy Skipper & Wall Brown with swathes of stunning and rare flora such as Early Purple Orchid.
A beautiful part of the dales and a wonderful walk!
Need To Know
The weather can be very changeable in the Peak District in Spring so come prepared – Heavy rain may lead to a postponement/cancellation – Some paths are steep and rocky and may be slippy but don’t worry we’ll take our time.
Price:£20 per person
Date:07/06/2025
Time:6:30 am
Duration:5 hours
Availability:4 places remaining
Nightjar watching in the Matlock Forest 2 *FULLY BOOKED*
Description
Join me for an exciting evening adventure as we go looking for one of the UK’s most fascinating bird species – the Nightjar! This cryptically coloured migrant returns to the UK in May and spends its days sat perfectly camouflaged on the floor of its heathland or clear-fell home before coming alive after sunset where its strange mechanical churring song, delivered from a perch, is often clearly audible. Our 2023 & 2024 events have seen us get amazing views of this nocturnal specialist as they hunted for their favourite moth prey and patrolled their territory (their flight often betrayed by their calls and the gleaming white wing patches of the males). With multiple birds flying around us and landing nearby at times these were truly memorable encounters!
Its not just Nightjars we’ll be hoping to see though as we’ll look for other nocturnal species such as roding (displaying) Woodcock, owls and bats whilst we wait. Previous walks have also enjoyed good views of Curlew, Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Swift and Roe Deer too!
Need To Know
It is only a very short walk to the viewing area but the ground can be uneven and/or muddy in places. A coat/warm layer is advisable after sundown and we also strongly recommend wearing a hat or hooded top and wearing or bringing insect repellent as the midgies & flies can be quite a nuisance on some warmer evenings.
Price:£10 per person
Date:12/06/2025
Time:8:55 pm
Duration:1.5 hours
Nightjar watching in the Matlock Forest 3 *FULLY BOOKED*
Description
Join me for an exciting evening adventure as we go looking for one of the UK’s most fascinating bird species – the Nightjar! This cryptically coloured migrant returns to the UK in May and spends its days sat perfectly camouflaged on the floor of its heathland or clear-fell home before coming alive after sunset where its strange mechanical churring song, delivered from a perch, is often clearly audible. Our 2023 & 2024 events have seen us get amazing views of this nocturnal specialist as they hunted for their favourite moth prey and patrolled their territory (their flight often betrayed by their calls and the gleaming white wing patches of the males). With multiple birds flying around us and landing nearby at times these were truly memorable encounters!
Its not just Nightjars we’ll be hoping to see though as we’ll look for other nocturnal species such as roding (displaying) Woodcock, owls and bats whilst we wait. Previous walks have also enjoyed good views of Curlew, Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Swift and Roe Deer too!
Need To Know
It is only a very short walk to the viewing area but the ground can be uneven and/or muddy in places. A coat/warm layer is advisable after sundown and we also strongly recommend wearing a hat or hooded top and wearing or bringing insect repellent as the midgies & flies can be quite a nuisance on some warmer evenings.
Price:£10 per person
Date:21/06/2025
Time:9:00 pm
Duration:1.5 hours
Bat & Evening Walk 1 - Lathkill Dale
Description
Join us for a wonderful evening stroll through this beautiful national nature reserve alongside the spectacular River Lathkill.
We'll spend the first part of our walk looking for some of the special birds that call this place home including Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher while we enjoy the sight of Swifts and Swallows hawking insects over the valley. As the sun sets we'll turn on the bat detectors to see which species we can pick up with Common & Soprano Pipistrelle, Noctule and Brown Long-Eared all recorded previously.
Need To Know
A short but sharp descent/ascent from Over Haddon to the Dale on a paved road then an easy level walk on reasonable paths. Pay and Display parking in Over Haddon.
Price:£10 per person (£5 for under 18's)
Date:25/06/2025
Time:8:00 pm
Duration:2.5 hours
Availability:8 places remaining
Bat & Evening Walk 2 - Bats & Brown Hares at Locko Park (an accessible walk near Derby)
Description
We'll spend an hour or so watching the wonderful Brown Hares that call this extensive private estate home as well as visiting an area where we have previously encountered Barn, Tawny & Little Owls. As well as these species there is the chance of encountering the increasingly scarce Spotted Flycatcher and maybe glimpsing the rakish form of a Hobby hunting the local Swallows.
As the sun sets we'll return to lake area and fire up the bat detectors. We've recorded six species here (Common and Soprano Pipistrelle, Noctule, Daubentons, Brown Long-Eared and Whiskered) and on a cooler night the feeding action over the lake is just a fantastic experience!
Need To Know
An easy walk on well paved paths. This route would suit people with mobility issues (even wheelchair users) though the approach to the lake is over slightly uneven grass in places.
Price:£10 per person (£5 for under 18's)
Date:05/07/2025
Time:8:00 pm
Duration:2.5 hours
Availability:8 places remaining
Summer Butterfly & Bird Walk @ High Leas Farm, Riber
Description
Come and join for a summer wander around our wildflower rich meadows as we look for many butterfly species that call the farm home.
Our guided butterfly walks over the last two years have seen us enjoy brilliant views of several stunning species including Dark-Green Fritillary, Common Blue, Wall Brown, Small & Large Skippers, migrant Painted Ladies and good numbers of Small Copper amongst lots of commoner butterflies such as Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Red Admiral and Ringlet.
Whilst keeping our eyes open for butterflies we will also be looking for the fantastic range of bird life that use the farm. Both our resident and migrant species will be coming to the end of their breeding seasons with the latter, including our stunning Redstarts and Flycatchers, feeding young and fattening themselves up ready for the southward migration in early Autumn. Young raptors will be on the wing by now too, their noisy food begging betraying their presence in the woods and hedgerows and with a bit of luck we may see four or five species during our walk.
We’ll be walking at the fabulous High Leas Farm, Riber – this exciting regenerative farming hub with its fantastic mix of woodland, grassland, hedgerows and scrub is the perfect place to enjoy a great variety of butterfly and bird life.
Tickets for this walk are available directly from Heartwood SFC (High Leas Farm) on the following link:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/heartwood/1261664
Need To Know
Meet at 9:15am for a 9:30 start. The walk will last around 3 hours.
Please dress appropriately for the weather and wear sturdy footwear. We will be walking on mown paths but over potentially uneven terrain.
Price:£10
Date:19/07/2025
Time:9:30 am
Duration:3 hours
Availability:7 places remaining
Bat & Evening Walk 3 - Bats & Brown Hares at Locko Park (an accessible walk near Derby)
Description
We'll spend an hour or so watching the wonderful Brown Hares that call this extensive private estate home as well as visiting an area where we have previously encountered Barn, Tawny & Little Owls. As well as these species there is the chance of encountering the increasingly scarce Spotted Flycatcher and maybe glimpsing the rakish form of a Hobby hunting the local Swallows.
As the sun sets we'll return to lake area and fire up the bat detectors. We've recorded six species here (Common and Soprano Pipistrelle, Noctule, Daubentons, Brown Long-Eared and Whiskered) and on a cooler night the feeding action over the lake is just a fantastic experience!
Need To Know
An easy walk on well paved paths. This route would suit people with mobility issues (even wheelchair users) though the approach to the lake is over slightly uneven grass in places.
Price:£10 per person (£5 for under 18's)
Date:30/07/2025
Time:7:45 pm
Duration:2.5 hours
Availability:8 places remaining
Bat & Evening Walk 4 - Cromford canal (an accessible walk)
Description
We'll spend an hour or so along the canal looking for those charming but elusive rodents - Water Voles. Water Voles are the UK's fastest declining mammals but the Cromford canal still holds a reasonably healthy population and is one of the best places in the midlands to see them. Evening (and early morning) are the best times to encounter voles and by August the first of the blackberries - one of their favourite foods - should be ripening.
As the sun sets we'll turn on our bat detectors to see which of these fascinating winged mammals we can find with Common Pipistrelle, Noctule and Daubentons all regular around the canal.
Need To Know
An easy walk on a well paved canal towpath that would suit those with mobility issues (including wheelchair users). It can be busy with cyclists and walkers during the first part of the evening. Pay & Display parking at Cromford Wharf will require cash.
Price:£10 per person (£5 for under 18's)
Date:09/08/2025
Time:7:30 pm
Duration:2.5 hours
Availability:7 places remaining
Willington Wetlands Circular *FULLY BOOKED*
Description
A new guiding route for us and one we are really looking forward to sharing with you.
We can expect plenty of wetland birds at this fantastic Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reserve with a good number of breeding warblers, wildfowl and the chance of a good variety of raptors with Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Peregrine, Red Kite and Kestrel all regular and the late summer congregations of hirundines and dragonflies should entice hunting Hobby! This is one of the best places in the county to catch our heron species too with Little, Great and Cattle Egret all present along with the secretive Bittern which we may glimpse in the impressive reedbeds.
Our visit will be timed to take advantage of autumn wader passage with the chance of several species such as Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Ruff, Redshank and Black Tailed Godwit either at Willington or nearby Highbridge (a working gravel pit) that we will view on our walk.
Our return will take us back with an easy stroll along the Trent & Mersey canal where we will keep our eyes peeled for Swallows, Swifts and Wagtails.
Need To Know
Some rough paths and may be wet in places (depending on conditions) so walking boots are recommended
Price:£15 per person
Date:17/08/2025
Time:7:00 am
Duration:3 hours
Autumn Fungal Foray @ High Leas Farm, Riber
Description
Come and join us for a fun and relaxed wander around the farm as we look for the myriad of strange and colourful fungi that emerge around the woods and fields in Autumn.
From the bright red Fly Agaric that appear amongst the birches in our woodland to the Inkcaps, Puffballs and Earth Stars along the tracks and rides to the Bonnets and Waxcaps growing in the grassy fields - the sheer number and variety of mushroom and toadstools (the fruiting or reproductive bodies of larger, incredibly important underground organisms) can be quite staggering and a real eye opener! We'll record the species we find (which will be a valuable contribution to our baseline surveying of the nature of the farm) and the walk will hopefully leave you wanting to find your own fungi and learn more about these fascinating organisms.
Whilst we are walking we'll keep our eyes peeled for the other Autumnal wildlife on the farm - Redwing & Fieldfares are arriving from Scandinavia and will be taking advantage of any Hawthorn, Holly and Rowan berries available whilst noisy Jays forage for acorns and Bullfinch numbers increase as the birds take advantage of the plentiful grassland seeds available. Roe Deer can sometimes be seen in the fields and woods and Autumn is the best season to encounter two of our three mustelid species - with both Weasel & Stoat hunting around the farm.
Tickets for this walk are available directly from Heartwood SFC (High Leas Farm) on the following link:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/heartwood/1523423
Need To Know
Meet at 8.15am for a 8.30am start - approximate duration 3 hours
Please dress for the great outdoors and wear sturdy footwear as we will be walking over potentially uneven ground.
*Please note this is not a foraging walk - we will not be picking any Fungi or providing advice or opinion on edibility*
Price:£10
Date:18/10/2025
Time:8:30 am
Duration:3 hours
Availability:7 places remaining
