Natural world
It's so much better than TV. Nothing matches the thrill of being up close and personal
with nature. Realworld Wildlife holidays introduce you to the astounding creatures and
habitats of the British countryside.
IMPORTANT FACTS
- Most transport costs are
included. See individual
descriptions for any additional
costs.
- Itineraries are flexible to take
advantage of prevailing weather
conditions and places for the
best sightings.
- Any entrance fees, eg to RSPB
hides, are included unless
otherwise stated in the individual
holiday description.
- Group size is limited to around
15 people.
- No specialist knowledge is
required for any of these
holidays.
Please select a holiday from the left hand menu. |
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| Discover the Pyrenean Natural World |
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Learn more about the Pyrenees' fascinating variety of flora and fauna in the company of an HF Holidays' leader and knowledgeable local guide. We'll discover more about the region's glacial landscapes and unique eco-system while enjoying the abundant wild flowers and sightings of marmots and eagles. |
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| Discover
Birds |
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Join a small group, with a leader who knows when and
where you'll get the best chances to see interesting and
unusual birds in their natural habitats. There'll be a little
bit of walking (less than 6 miles per day) and we may
visit reserves or venture out at dawn or dusk to catch a
glimpse of the more elusive ones.
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Your leader will take you on leisurely, superbly scenic walks (up to 6 miles but often less) through some of the richest sites in Britain, and sightings are likely to be excellent. We
plan to visit a variety of habitats, and see warblers, finches, wagtails, terns
and maybe the occasional rarity. Distances walked will be adapted according to
the birds, habitat and prevailing weather. |
Dartmoor: lush woodland contrasts with the
famous moorland of Dartmoor and South Devon
headlands to give us much to enjoy. Resident
birds include Cirl Buntings, whose stronghold is
the South Hams. Peregrine, Raven, Dipper, Pied
Flycatcher and Little Egret are all relatively easy
birds for us to find.
Derbyshire Dales: the activity of breeding birds
is at its most intense in the Peak District in early
June. We will visit both the White Peak and Dark
Peak with their rich variety of habitat, which
includes woodland, farmland, parkland,
moorland and river valleys. We hope to see
many of the breeding birds of the Peak including
Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler, Wheatear,
Whinchat, Grey Wagtail, Dipper, Common
Sandpiper, Red Grouse and Curlew.
Southern Lake District: Visit a variety of
habitats, including the seabird colony at the
RSPB reserve of St. Bees Head. Here can be
seen thousands of guillemots along with
kittiwakes, fulmars and razorbills.
Western Highlands: inland lochs, sea lochs,
moorland, woodland and mountain provide a
majestic backdrop. The highlight is our trip to find
Sea Eagles on the Isle of Mull.
Isle of Arran: a naturalist’s paradise of great
scenic variety. Shore to hill top takes us from
Oystercatchers to Eagles.
Isle of Wight: one of England's best birdwatching
areas with a variety of habitats conducive to a good
species count.
Northumberland: birds ranging from Auks to
Raptors make the Northumberland hills and coast
premier sites for birdwatching. Weather permitting,
we'll also travel to the Farne islands (allow £30).
Snowdonia: sea cliffs, river estuaries and
mountains provide habitats for Puffin, Chough,
Dipper, Flycatchers and Goldcrest.
Snowdonia: sea cliffs, river estuaries and
mountains provide habitats for Puffin, Chough,
Dipper, Flycatchers and Goldcrest. |
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Who's it for? |
| Ideal for beginners and those with more experience. |
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| Discover Birds
for Beginners |
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Join our friendly experts who will introduce you to the
jargon and the etiquette of this fascinating pastime. We'll
help you identify common species and give you tips on
discovering the habitats and behaviour of some of the
country's more endangered residents and visitors. Expect to walk between 3 and 7 miles each day.
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Enjoy leisurely, scenic walks of 3-7 miles learning about the difference between males and females, size, behaviour, habitat, and how to use a field guide. We'll give you the confidence to identify a few species, at which point you'll be hooked. |
Northumberland: an autumn weekend in a birdwatcher’s paradise learning the basics. While the seabirds are for some the most fascinating, others use the area as a staging post in their great journeys around the world. Enjoy contrasting settings on two full days out as well as lectures indoors.
Isle of Arran: Arran’s compact nature and varied
habitats make it an ideal location for a week’s
birdwatching holiday and introduction to this
fascinating world. During the week you will travel
widely around this beautiful island, from shore to
hilltop, to enjoy the island and its birds.
South Downs: Important coastal and wetland
habitats at Pagham and Arun Valley, also heaths,
woods and parkland. Local residents include.
stonechats and Dartford warblers.
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Who's it for? |
| Ideal for beginners. |
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| Discover
Birds in Winter |
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As winter migrants arrive in the country's important
wetland sites, we'll take you to the best and the most
dramatic. An expert leader will help you identify the
different species, give tips on their behaviour and how to
count and record your sightings. Leisurely paced walks
up to 5 miles..
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Your leader will take you on leisurely, superbly scenic walks through some of the richest sites in Britain to see the best winter birds. |
Cotswolds: we'll visit Slimbridge, home to the
world's largest wildfowl collection, and the
Cotswold Water Park where we may see Water
Rail, Spotted Redshank and Red-crested Pochard.
Northern Lake District: the Solway Firth and
Morecambe Bay, as well as the sands and
estuaries of West Cumbria are areas of international
importance for wintering wildfowl and waders. We
also visit Leighton Moss RSPB reserve.
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Who's it for? |
| Ideal for beginners and those with more experience. |
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| Birdwatching for the BTO Atlas NEW |
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In 2012 the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is
publishing a major new atlas of British birds. Join an
experienced ornithologist as he seeks out the less
common species to add to the atlas records. |
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Who's it for? |
| Experienced birdwatchers. |
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| Discover
Wildlife |
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Whether you're out for a ramble, walking the
dog or just taking a stroll, there's wildlife all
around us. Let our expert leaders help you
unlock some of its secrets and you may never
look at the countryside in the same way again.
Oystercatchers to oysterplants, it's all here on
leisurely paced walks of up to 8 miles.
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Your leader will take you on leisurely, superbly scenic walks through some of the richest sites in Britain, and sightings are likely to be excellent. You will visit a variety of habitats and walks are up to 8 miles. |
Cornwall: the highlight is surely the new Sea Safari
cruise along the south coast of Cornwall; an
exhilarating experience of nature and the sea.
Sightings can include dolphins and porpoises and
occasionally even whales, and we will also learn
about the historical sights and natural environment
of this outstanding coastline. On dry land we go to
Lizard Point, to look for specialist plants, some of
which occur either rarely or nowhere else in Britain,
plus Butterflies & Dragonflies.
Dartmoor: South Devon's many habitats offer opportunities to see guillemot,
pied flycatcher and redstart, and maybe even an otter.
Isle of Arran: our Arran safari could include golden eagles, a variety of seabirds,
seals, red deer, and perhaps an otter and basking shark. During this holiday we
travel widely around this beautiful island.
South Downs: If you want to see the rare Field Cricket, the insectivorous
Sundew plant, ancient wood pasture and flowers with names like Wood Spurge
and Yellow Archangel, join us for the perfect short break providing insight into
abundant summer wildlife. |
| Sat 16 May 2009 (7nts) |
Dartmoor |
Name to follow |
£669 |
| Sat 30 May 2009 (7nts) |
Isle of Arran |
Name to follow |
£669 |
| Sat 20 June 2009 (7nts) |
Isle of Arran |
Name to follow |
£669 |
| Sat 18 July 2009 (4nts) |
Cornwall |
Name to follow |
£389 |
| Sat 22 Aug 2009 (7nts) |
Cornwall |
Name to follow |
£669 |
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Who's it for? |
| Ideal for beginners and those with some
experience. Walking up to 8 miles each day. |
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| Discover Wild Flowers |
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Ever wondered what a flower is called, or how it
got its name. What does it say about the
climate, soil and topography of its habitat?
Britain is blessed with an incredibly diverse
range of natural flora. Your experienced leader
will guide you to the best sites and provide lots
of structured advice for beginners.
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Enjoy looking for Britain's
remarkable range of wild flowers
on leisurely walks of up to 6 miles. Your
experienced leader will guide you to the
best sites and provide lots of structured
advice for beginners. |
Derbyshire Dales: limestone dales and woodlands have a colourful array of
flowers, including rare species such as the Frog Orchid and Burnt Orchid.
Isle of Wight: a mild climate and chalk downland make the Isle of Wight one of
the best areas for wild flowers, including White Horehound, Toadflax, Bellflower
and Hound's Tongue.
Southern
Yorkshire Dales: the verdant Dales fields and verges are overflowing with wild
flowers including Meadow Cranesbill, Dog Daisies and Meadow Sweet. |
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Who's it for? |
| Ideal for beginners and those with some
experience. Walk up to 6 miles each day. |
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| Discover
Geology |
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It's all in the rocks! With an expert geologist,
we'll walk through the most beautiful scenery in
Britain and learn about the influence of the
rocks that lie beneath. Informal talks in the
evening will illustrate and enlighten. Some of the
walking will be over rough terrain.
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Explore an array of rock formations and fossils depending on the area. In learning how nature has shaped the region you also walk through the area's most beautiful scenery encountering geological features. In the evenings there will be informal talks. Walks up to 3 miles, occasionally over rough and boggy ground. |
Isle of Arran: one of the world's classic geological locations, with a wide range
of formations and great variety of rock types. During this holiday we travel
widely around this beautiful island.
Northern Lake District: Sort out your Ordovician from your Silurian as we take
you to the fascinating area around Keswick to see Skiddaw Slates and the
Borrowdale Volcanics, and to other places so that a walk in the Lakes will never
be the same again. Either the Eden Valley or St Bees will also feature for its red
sandstone.
Southern Lake District: the geology of the Lake District spans 500 million years
and was once under tropical seas, covered by a desert, and at the centre of
intense volcanic activity. |
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Who's it for? |
Ideal for beginners and those with some
experience. Walks up to 3 miles over rough
terrain. |
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| Charles Darwin Naturalist NEW |
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Who's it for? |
| Anyone with an interest in wildlife. |
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| Fossil Hunting (Walking with Dinosaurs) |
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Who's it for? |
Ideal for beginners and those with some
experience. Walks up to 3 miles at a leisurely
pace. |
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| Walking with the Stars |
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Start making sense of the night sky. In our
evening sessions we'll look at objects that can
be seen with the naked eye, through binoculars
or a small telescope. There'll be talks too, on
the creation of the universe, galaxies, stars, the
moon and planets, comets, meteors and
asteroids. Enjoy optional guided walks in the
afternoon.
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Who's it for? |
| Ideal for beginners and those with some
experience. |
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