1 Greenham Common
Berkshire
Cold War-era base filled with birdsong
DURING THE COLD WAR, RAF GREENHAM Common was famously the home of NATO's nuclear deterrent: an arsenal of short- to long-range cruise missiles targeted on Soviet Russia. From the early 1980s until 2000, the perimeter fence also became home to the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp. At its height, 30,000 women protesters lived permanently at the site, attracting worldwide media interest and edifying the international peace movement.
Visit today and you won't hear the sound of fighter jets taking off or the melodies of protest songs, rather the shrill calls of larks breaking the silence over this long expanse of grassland. Peppered with egg-yolk-yellow flowering gorse and vibrant pink heather, the site is home to 30 species of butterfly and its open heath attracts birds such as skylarks, woodlarks, nightjars and linnets. Though the runway is now mostly grown over, you can still trace its path with a keen eye. The missile silos are cornered off but can be seen clearly from many parts of the site, and the old control tower is now a visitor centre.
2 Lindisfarne Priory
Northumberland
Great for orchids
HOLY ISLAND IS HOME TO THE RUINS of Lindisfarne Priory, founded by Irish monks in 635AD and abandoned following Viking invasion. Another priory was built after the Norman Conquest, and it is the remains of this that still stand. The surrounding dunes, saltmarsh and mudflats are designated a National Nature Reserve and are a great spot to see migrating birds in autumn, and visiting wildfowl and waders in winter. In summer, look out for the endemic Lindisfarne helleborine in the dune slacks, one of 11 orchid species found here, as well as many other nationally important plants.
3 Candleston Castle
South Wales
Bu hikaye BBC Wildlife dergisinin May 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye BBC Wildlife dergisinin May 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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