Enjoy a truly outst anding adventure!
ENGLAND is blessed with 34 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and spring is the ideal time to explore their glories. JAMEY BERGMAN takes a tour of six of the very best.
REVEL IN THE WYE VALLEY
THE Wye Valley AONB straddles the border of England and Wales, and stretches through three counties as it follows the course of the lower Wye River. The region’s landscape offers ample opportunity for active travellers to stretch their legs, go for a paddle or even scale a cliff. Or why not just sit back and take in the ancient beech, yew, ash and hazel trees that inspired the likes of Coleridge and Wordsworth?
SAIL ALONG A SUFFOLK ESTUARY
WHY not pull on your sea boots and enjoy the relatively calm waters of one of the five estuaries in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB? The Alde, Blyth, Deben, Orwell and Stour rivers all enjoy far-reaching views across surrounding low-lying landscapes of farmland, saltmarsh and mud flats. While bobbing along, try to spy one of the many bird species, seals and otters that call this fantastic habitat home.
DINE ON DORSET’S LOCAL DELICACIES
DORSET is well known as a hub for delectable local fare, and what better reason could there be to visit one of the country’s most scenic AONB’s than good food?
Dorset AONB covers nearly half of the county, and, in addition to producing its own annual guide to local food and drink, the AONB has partnered with Defra’s Food Is GREAT campaign to create a series of eight separate foodie routes accessible on foot or bicycle.
WATCH WILDLIFE IN NORTHUMBERLAND
THE long, sandy beaches, rolling dune lands and scattered islands of the Northumberland Coast AONB abound with wild flora and fauna. Spring is a prime time for spotting Atlantic grey seals, and dolphins and whales can often be seen here, too. An array of wildflowers dot the dunes, meadow and grassland ecosystems in spring, and later in the season, migrating birds begin their annual arrival.
GO CRABBING IN CORNWALL
THE Cornwall AONB is made up of 12 separate pieces of land set out over hundreds of square miles and includes some of England’s most beautiful coastlines. On a visit to Padstow, Fowey or Mullion Cove, bring a bucket and tie a bit of bacon or sardine to a line and dangle it from the harbour wall to get a closer look at Cornwall’s common shore crab.
SADDLE UP FOR A CYCLE RIDE IN KENT AND SUSSEX
THE High Weald AONB is an ideal place for a day out on the bike, no matter what type of cycling you enjoy. Families can explore the smoothly surfaced routes set out along disused railway lines, or go further afield on off-road trails. Mountain bikers have four dedicated sites to bump and bounce along off-road tracks, and two National Cycle Network routes thread through the region, linking villages, pubs, tea rooms and train stations. More ideas at VisitEngland.com