Wildlife abounds: readers’ favourite UK nature reserves and national parks

Readers recommended nature spots across the UK, from city sanctuaries to windswept islands. In Bristol, Leigh Woods national nature reserve climbs from the River Avon’s muddy banks and is noted for whitebeam trees found only there, alongside peregrine falcons and roe deer; trails lead over Brunel’s suspension bridge to the Primrose Café in Clifton village.

South Walney nature reserve, reached via Barrow-in-Furness, hosts Cumbria’s only seal colony and many migrating seabirds; seals surface as you look toward Piel Castle, reachable at low tide, and visitors can watch from well-kept hides with hand-drawn illustrations, local history and specimens, or via a livestream seal cam.

On the Swale estuary, Elmley national nature reserve offers saltmarsh habitat and a safari-like access drive where curlews, hares and marsh harriers appear close to the car; Elmley is the UK’s only privately owned national nature reserve and the only one where you can stay overnight in huts or yurts while short-eared and barn owls hunt nearby.

United Kingdom, Bristol; Cumbria; Barrow-in-Furness; Swale estuary

leigh woods, bristol, river avon, whitebeam trees, peregrine falcons, south walney, barrow-in-furness, seal colony, piel castle, elmley