Self guided walks
Of the 59 species of butterfly regularly found in the UK around 40 are recorded annually in the Somerset and Bristol area. These include the Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow, which are annual migrants
In 2015, the branch created a booklet with a selection of walks to help you see some of these species across our region - these pages have been extracted from the booklet and updated.
Please familiarise yourself with the flight periods to give you the best chance to see the butterflies mentioned on these walk pages.
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This section is a 'work in progress' so we would appreciate it if our members would give us feedback of any amendments or additions required. Also, we would welcome any photographs from these locations.
Bannerdown Common
Batheaston (Open Access)
An area of unimproved grassland owned by The Batheaston Freeholders Association. It is a managed Nature Conservation area.
Bin Combe
Exmoor National Park
This moorland is owned and managed by the National Trust to protect the rare Heath Fritillary. The habitat is tall dense bracken on steep slopes where there are no paths.
Brean Down
Mendip Hills / Coastal
Brean Down is one of the landmarks of the Somerset coastline – jutting out into the Bristol Channel between Burnham-On-Sea and Weston-super-Mare.
Collard Hill
Polden Hills
The Large Blue butterfly became extinct in the UK in 1979 but a habitat restoration programme led to the successful reintroduction of this butterfly on several sites in the Polden Hills, including Collard Hill in 2000.
Crook Peak
Mendip Hills
Crook Peak is one of the largest areas of open land on the Mendips. It rises 191m above the Levels and has breath taking views over Somerset. This site together with Cross Plain and Shute Shelve Hill are owned by the National Trust.
Haddon Hill
Exmoor National Park
This site on the south eastern edge of Exmoor National Park near Wimbleball Lake.
It is also not far from our Butterfly Conservation reserve at Haddon Moor.
Mount Fancy
Blackdown Hills
Our Mount Fancy Reserve is in the Blackdown Hills south of Taunton. It is divided into 2 areas which we know as; Mount Fancy and Shutes.
Stoke Camp
Mendip Hills
The Stoke Camp Reserve is 11 hectare of limestone grassland which is owned by Butterfly Conservation and is principally managed for Small Blues.
Ubley Warren
Mendip Hills
The landscape has been shaped by centuries of lead mining leaving worked out mineral veins or ‘rakes’ and uneven (‘gruffy’) ground.
Walton Common
Nr Clevedon
Walton Common is an Avon Wildlife Trust reserve located between Portishead and Clevedon. It is a calcareous grassland reserve surrounded by woodland renowned for wildflowers and butterflies.
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