Parkland Tours

A medieval park with ancient ecology, now available to be enjoyed through guided walks and talks.

Wildlife Walk: The Butterflies and Meadow Life of Haddon Medieval Park

22 Jun

Walk commences at 10.30 am
Duration 2-3 hours

Parkland Butterflies Walk: £38.50 per person (not suitable for children under 12 yrs)
Parking: £3.80 (contactless payment at exit barrier)
Places limited, booking is essential
Your ticket for this Wildlife Walk entitles you to visit Haddon Hall and its beautiful gardens for £13.00 per person (usually £26.00) on the same day.  This can be purchased at the Ticket Office after your walk – please simply show your booking reference to our staff.

Important Note! This particular wildlife walk can only take place in dry weather conditions.  In the event that wet weather is forecast we may have to cancel the event, possibly at short notice.  In these circumstances we will make every effort to reschedule the walk to an alternative date.  If you are not able to attend for the rescheduled date, we will refund the cost of the walk.  We regret that we are unable to reimburse travel, accommodation or any other expenses that you may have incurred to attend.

Toilets are available in the Stable Block at the start and finish of your walk
The Restaurant serves a wide selection of food and drink
Please note, dogs are not permitted on this walk

“We thoroughly enjoyed the walk – it was lovely to explore the parts of Haddon that we can’t normally access.  Steve is so knowledgeable and enthusiastic – and really good at passing this on to others.  We would certainly recommend this to others.” Attendee o 2023 Butterflies and Meadow Life Walk

This year we are delighted to welcome back the renowned butterfly expert Steve Orridge to lead a Butterflies and Meadow Life Walk in Haddon Medieval Park.

The Medieval Park at Haddon Hall is a rare treasure, comprising 187 hectares of organic ancient pasture, woodlands, water meadows and river banks.  Largely untouched for over 900 years with a diverse range of habitats, it is home to an incredible variety of wildlife.  A recent survey found 26 different butterfly species fluttering around our flowers, grasses and trees, including the Wall Brown, White Lesser Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak and Small Heath, all priority conservation species. Our meadows are also home to many species of beautiful bees, grasshoppers, dragonflies and bright blue Banded Demoiselles.

In this exclusive event, Steve will take you behind the scenes into the private parkland that surrounds Haddon Hall.  For 2-3 hours, walking at a gentle pace with plenty of opportunities for observation and photography, he will escort you around the different habitats within the Medieval Park to discover and appreciate its rich meadow life.

Steve Orridge is a keen naturalist who has been involved in butterfly surveys since 2013, working with East Midlands Butterfly Conservation and the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.  Steve has been involved in walking transects within Haddon Medieval Park since 2020 and knows the habitats here very well.  He is passionate about sharing his love of butterflies and the natural world with others.

Please note that this walk takes place within the unspoilt, natural landscape of the Haddon Medieval Park.  There are few paths, the terrain is uneven in places and may be wet and/or muddy.  For your safety and comfort you are advised to wear walking boots or other stout footwear and to have warm clothing available with you to wear if required on the day of your visit.  Please bear in mind that we cannot guarantee good weather, nor can we guarantee which species you will see.  Nature is unpredictable!

BOOK

Wildlife Walk: The Bird Life of Haddon Medieval Park
19 Apr, 21 Apr
Wildlife Walk: Dawn Chorus at Haddon Medieval Park
27 Apr
Creative Experience Day: ‘Create with Nature’ Art Workshop with Jane Bevan
4 May
Medieval Parkland Walks
9 May, 20 Jun, 24 Aug, 14 Sep, 28 Sep, 19 Oct