Outdoor life takes centre stage in summer, and nature is the headliner. Up and down the country, there are some brilliant nature festivals where you can spot animals and plants, learn about conservation, listen to experts and immerse yourself in some great hands-on experiences. From seed-planting and sound-bathing to guided bat walks, there’s wild fun for everyone. Here are our top nature festival picks:
Biosphere festival, Isle of Wight
Spanning the whole island, this event showcases “the most diverse species and landscapes of this Unesco reserve, from beaches and wetlands to chalk downland and woodland”, said The Guardian. There are open gardens, storytelling sessions, scavenger hunts and fossil workshops, as well as “nature experiences” (some free; some paid) including a “freediving safari in seagrass meadows” at Seaview, led by marine photographer Theo Vickers, and a UV night walk “exploring forest biofluorescence” in Firestone Copse. There are also open days at Permaculture Island – as seen in Ben Fogle’s “New Lives in the Wild”. Both Red Funnel and Wightlink are offering festival-goers discounted ferry trips from the mainland.
27 June-5 July; iwbiosphere.org
Cambridge Nature Festival, Cambridge
This popular festival is back for its fifth year, highlighting many of the region’s natural sights, “from the ancient fens of Wicken” to the “rare orchids of Haslingfield Quarry”, said Cambridge Independent. There are more than 180 free or low-cost “outdoor adventures” to choose from, including guided bat walks, pond-dipping, boat trips, children’s bushcraft sessions and litter picks. There is also a series of specialist talks and workshops from ecologists, conservationists and botanists.
Until 30 June; cambridgenaturenetwork.org
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Festival of Nature, Suffolk
A newcomer to the nature-festival scene, this event is hosted by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. It kicks off with an opening-day talk by local wildlife illustrator Angela Harding about how she captures nature through print, followed by three weeks of creative workshops, discovery sessions, talks and family events. Look out for “immersive sound baths, sound installations” and “mesmerising projections”, said the BBC. The events are designed to show people “new ways to explore and celebrate the wildlife and nature on our doorsteps”.
20 September-11 October; suffolkwildlifetrust.org
Festival of Nature, Bristol and Bath
This is the UK’s “largest free nature festival” and it boasts an impressive collection of fun and informative events, said The Guardian. Expect “wildlife walks, river and shoreline surveys, citizen science projects, seed-planting, pollinator-tracking and hands-on conservation activities”. There are also “dementia-friendly allotment sessions” and “a bioblitz species count at Stoke Park”.
6-14 June; bnhc.org.uk
