Nature-led Experiences
Connect with nature in our wildly beautiful corner of the UK
Home to some of the UK’s most spectacular countryside including meandering rivers, endless empty beaches and rolling hills, the North of England and the South of Scotland are ideal places to get away from it all and connect with nature. From guided nature walks and seashore safaris to conservation treasure hunts – where your mini explorers will learn how to protect and care for the environment and our wildlife – there are plenty of super, mood-boosting ways to rewild your holidays.
Seashore Safaris
Northumberland
At Crabtree & Crabtree, we’ve always believed that one of the best ways of getting to know a destination is through its food. Working together with a local cookery school, C&C guests based in East Lothian and the Scottish Borders can get a flavour of their locality by learning to cook a delicious two- or three-course menu from the comfort of their C&C holiday home. Using the best local and seasonal produce you can expect to whip up dishes such as venison wellington, wild mushroom ravioli and raspberry soufflé before sitting down to enjoy your culinary creations.
Paired wines can also be added to accompany your delicious meal.
Breakfast Safari
Scottish Borders
Experience the magic of a morning on the farm with a walking safari tour of a sublime Scottish Borders farm. Located in rolling pastures at the foot of the Cheviot Hills, you’ll enjoy a guided walk led by the resident farmer. Charming, friendly and a keen photographer, he’ll not only introduce you to the cattle and point out glimpses of local wildlife including roe deer, hare, birdlife and otters, but he’ll also show you the best places to capture them on camera. Following your safari, you’ll then be treated to a scrumptious breakfast of locally sourced bacon, eggs and homegrown berries, fruit and veg, which you can enjoy overlooking the farm if the weather is good!
Additional activities such as wild swimming, animal feeding or a tour of the gardens can be tacked on by request.
Sensory Nature Walk
Berwickshire Coast
Connect with nature in a tangible way with a sensory wildlife walk along rugged cliffs of St Abb’s Head nature reserve. Teeming with spectacular wildlife including over 50,000 sea birds such as guillemots, kittiwakes, shags, razorbills and puffins, as well as grey seals, there’s plenty to see and hear. Guided by an ex National Trust ranger, you’ll experience the 3km walk and its wildlife through the full spectrum of senses listening out for bird song and the sound of the waves, smelling the salt of the sea, fragrant plant life, touching shells, sand, seaweed and spotting butterflies, insects, birds and, if you’re lucky, a pod of dolphins. The session will end with a guided meditation.
Conservation Treasure Hunt
Berwickshire Coast
Taking place on the sandy arc-shaped bay at Coldingham, this beachy treasure hunt focuses on all the natural gems that can be found on the beach. Led by an ex-St Abbs ranger, you and your brood will spend several hours scouring the beach for feathers, colourful pebbles, slimy seaweed and more. Paying particular attention to the natural colours and textures of marine life, your guide will also teach you about what shouldn’t be there – plastic and small bits of washed-up rubbish, which you’ll collect as you go on a mini beach clean, learning how it arrived there and how it impacts the local environment.
