Close encounters, walking versus the menopause; caps & challenges.
We asked: what’s a natural experience you’ll remember for the rest of your life – and that only happened because you were walking? You told us... (*or feathered, petalled or patterned!)
Nature’s Scandi-noir
For me, it has to be seeing owls! In between lockdowns I was lucky to be able to watch and photograph shorteared owls within the M25. They migrate to the UK to avoid harsher winters in Scandinavia and seeing them hunt silently at close range has to be one of the best wildlife moments. Stuart Fox
Something new every day A badger in need...
We got lost in the woods ‘drinking in’ the sight and smell of the bluebells. It was beginning to get more than a little frustrating when suddenly we saw a very large badger who stopped and looked at us for a minute or two before trundling off. It was the wonderful lift I needed to get me moving again and back on track.
Anne Denness
High altitude otter
We’d just come down from Picws Du to Llyn y Fan Fach and, for a change, I suggested we walk along the leet path before going back to car. And there, right in front of us, was an otter! About 1800ft up in the mountains! I’ve never seen an otter close up before so needless to say it made my day. Christina Lander
Scene, herd
Just outside Oban, early in the morning and I was going down a small track. I heard a rustling and out of nowhere a stag jumped out right in front of me. It was astonishing. He quickly moved on to my left and I was greeted with the sight of herd of doe. It was moment like in Jurassic Park when the scientists first see the brontosaurus and then the pan round and see the plain filled with dinosaurs.
Mark Shore
Family outing
At the extremely remote Berney Arms station on Halvergate Marshes in Norfolk, we stopped for a coffee break on the hottest day of the year. Bouncing up the railway track towards us, completely unaware – a family of stoats, parent and four well grown kits, all tumbling and bouncing. Utterly mesmerising. Couldn’t take a photo as we were motionless, fearing to break the spell. Philippa Godwin
Spied on by a seal
An autumn walk on a windswept beach in East Norfolk. As I walked parallel to the shoreline, I saw two dark eyes and the head of an animal emerge from the sea about 10 metres out. I thought it was someone’s dog. Then I realised it was following my route at 10 metres distance out to sea – an inquisitive young grey seal! Douglas Walters
A sight to sea!
Walking the track at Burg on the Isle of Mull, we came round a corner and suddenly to our right, no more than about 12 feet away there was a sea eagle! He/she flew away after barely a second but we stopped dead in our tracks and couldn't quite believe we had been so close. Jennie McGinlay
High on life
I knew that the Highland cattle calves were on Baslow Edge, Derbyshire so went to see. A couple of the calves began to get playful and then one appeared to be looking directly at me as it was running through the grass and buttercups! Not a moment I will ever forget Slinky Baloo
‘Our eyes met’
I’ve had a particularly tough year but the anxiety lifted as I smelt the fresh air and then our eyes met – a beautiful deer that allowed me to watch it until it casually trotted away. That was a turning point – I felt blessed and humbled. Something I’ll never forget Alison Alcroft
‘Couldn’t believe it’
I was a Ministry of Agriculture field officer, inspecting some farm woodlands with my boss. Walking down a track we noticed a large black cat walking briskly through a field. We couldn't believe it. The Ministry denied big cats roam free in UK but we reported it to the police wildlife officer, who told us, “I didn't think they existed until I cornered one and it growled at me.” Andy Rossell
First time I saw an adder in the wild – fascinating, scary, and amazing all in one! Tony Cartwright
Pssst! Here hare here
A few weeks ago I came across a hare in a little magical dell near
Heavenfield in Northumberland. Instead of running off like they normally do it actually came closer and sat and stared at me for a couple of minutes. If it had spoken to me I wouldn’t have been the least bit surprised! Ruth Taylor