Pine marten, UK

Rewilding holidays

Tourism should play a key role in supporting the UK’s rewilding projects and Steppes can help you get behind the scenes to learn what is being done to create a more sympathetic environment for the UK’s native species.

At the heart of the rewilding philosophy is the desire for a greater co-existence between humans and wildlife. Urbanisation, intensive agriculture, pollution and climate change have taken a heavy toll on the UK’s plants and animals – something the rewilding movement is eager to redress.

Tourism should play a key role in supporting the UK’s rewilding projects and Steppes can help you get behind the scenes to learn what is being done to create a more sympathetic environment for the UK’s native species. Call us to hear how you can visit beaver reintroduction sites in Devon, wild cat breeding programs in Scotland and butterfly conservation projects in the Cotswolds.

White-tailed eagle or sea eagle, Scotland
White-tailed eagle, Scotland
White-tailed eagle with fish in Scotland
White-tailed eagle, Scotland
White tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in flight in the rain, Scotland
White tailed sea eagle, Scotland
Landscape on Mull, Scotland
Mull, Scotland

White-tailed eagles

Take a boat trip on Loch Na Keal in Mull, looking for the resident white-tailed eagles that now frequent these wild shores. In 1975 the first breeding pair was reintroduced to Mull and now thanks to a dynamic conservation effort aligned with sustainable tourism, there are over 100 breeding pairs on the island.

Meet with the conservationists at the forefront of rewilding in Mull and spend time exploring this remarkable wildlife-rich island off Scotland’s west coast. White-tailed eagles have recently been reintroduced to the south coast of England after an absence of 240 years, on the Isle of Wight where conservationists, under the auspices of the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation are delighted with the bird’s progress.

Bluebells, Cotswolds, England, UK
Cotswolds, England
Yellow butterfly, Cotswolds, England UK
England
Wild garlic near Miserden, Cotswolds, England,  United Kingdom
Cotswolds, England
Pine marten, UK
Pine marten, UK

Nature reserves

Rewilding takes many different shapes and sizes. While some would have you believe that rewilding is all about the reintroduction of megafauna, the reality is far more nuanced than that. Rewilding is a philosophy, at the heart of which lies a belief in co-existence with wildlife and respect for the eco-system in which we play an integral part and rely upon.

The Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust runs several exceptional nature reserves where regeneration of the landscape and protection of endemic species is key to their efforts. Escorted by expert guides, visit Daneway Banks to learn about the conservation efforts to help the rare large blue butterfly, visit Siccaridge Woods to find out about the National Dormouse Monitoring Scheme or explore the Forest of Dean to discover more about Project Pine Marten.

Peregrine falcon, UK
Peregrine falcon, UK,

Knepp Wildland Project

The pioneers of rewilding in England, Knepp Wildland Project is a brilliant example of what can be achieved through allowing nature to flourish under the watchful eye of expert custodians. Through the introduction of free-roaming grazing and a process of river restoration, the team at Knepp has created an environment where populations of common wildlife species have flourished alongside more rare species.

Critically endangered nightingales and turtle doves now regularly breed at Knepp and take residence alongside peregrine falcons, ravens, red kites and yellowhammers. And May 2020, saw the pinnacle of success for Knepp’s white stork reintroduction project, when a mating pair successfully hatched chicks in their nest on top of one of Knepp’s old oak trees. A visit to Knepp is a must for anybody with an interest in rewilding and a love of the English countryside.

Beaver, UK
Beaver, UK
View from Tarka Trail, Torrington, Devon, England, UK
England

Wild beavers in Devon

Beavers on the River Otter may sound like an oxymoron but the success of this rewilding project, spearheaded by the Devon Wildlife Trust, has been unequivocal. Breeding pairs having given birth to several litters of kits and extensive research has shown that the healthy population of beavers now resident on the River Otter, has led to improvements in river water quality, flood control and biodiversity.

Learn about this project, meet with the experts and make the most of an opportunity to see wild beavers against a backdrop of the beautiful Devon countryside. Bring your camera and you can help by uploading your images onto the project’s website to help with their ongoing conservation efforts.

Close up of brown and black striped wild cat.
Scotland
Rear view of three people walking along a track surrounded by autumnal, mountainous landscapes.
Scotland
Valley in autunmal colours with track leading to cottage and snow covered mountains behind.
Alladale Wilderness Reserve, Scotland
Red Squirrel, Scotland, United Kingdom
United Kingdom

Tourism and conservation hand-in-hand

Alladale has become a byword for rewilding in Scotland under the dynamic stewardship of Paul Lister, founder of The European Nature Trust. The team at Alladale are passionate about restoring the Highland’s ecosystem and like nothing more than to showcase their efforts to interested clients.

Stay at the superb Victorian manor house or one of the converted lodges and take a guided tour of the reserve to learn about the red squirrel translocation, the Scottish wild-cat project, the camera trapping initiatives used to monitor the activity of the local raptors and the ongoing reforestation efforts. Little wonder that Alladale has become a blueprint for other rewilding projects around the world.

Experiences

Tell us what you love doing and we’ll curate a journey that’s perfect for you.

Peregrine falcon, UK
Rewilding holidays

Visit Knepp Estate in West Sussex

Since 2001, the land at Knepp – once intensively farmed – has been devoted to a pioneering rewilding programme. Extremely rare species like turtle doves, nightingales, peregrine falcons and purple emperor butterflies are now breeding here; and populations of more common species are rocketing.

Close up of brown and black striped wild cat.
Rewilding holidays

Alladale Wilderness Reserve

Explore Alladale Wilderness Reserve to learn about wild cat reintroduction programmes.

Beaver, UK
Rewilding holidays

Beaver reintroduction

Visit a beaver reintroduction project in Devon.

Yellow butterfly, Cotswolds, England UK
Rewilding holidays

Butterfly conservation

Help with butterfly conservation and census work in the Cotswolds.

Road through Cairngorms, Scotland, UK
Rewilding holidays

Explore Cairngorms Connect

Take a rewilding tour of the Cairngorms for privileged insight into Cairngorms Connect.

Pine marten, UK
Rewilding holidays

Pine martens in the Forest of Dean

Learn about the reintroduction of pine martens to the Forest of Dean.

White tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in flight in the rain, Scotland
Rewilding holidays

Support the white-tailed eagle project

Gain privileged insight into rewilding and visit the white-tailed eagle project in Mull, Scotland.

Atlantic puffin, UK
Rewilding holidays

Explore Lundy Island

Visit Lundy Island to see the puffins and skylarks.

Sue Grimwood planting trees
Rewilding holidays

Tree-planting in the UK

Get involved with a tree-planting project or other land restoration in the UK, perhaps even at our Steppes Travel forest in Brigg, Scunthorpe.

White tailed eagle, Isle of Mull, Scotland, UK
Rewilding holidays

White-tailed eagles in Scotland

Photograph white-tailed eagles and learn about their conservation in Scotland.

Roe deer near Ampney Crucis, Cotswolds, England,  United Kingdom
Rewilding holidays

Wildlife walk

Head out in search of British wildlife, including deer, foxes, badgers and birds of prey.

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