East Midlands Field Trips 2023
These field trips are a great way to learn about butterflies and their habitat, help with identification will be available and there will also be photographic opportunities. Walks are open to anyone to attend. Please check the weather conditions and come suitably prepared.
IMPORTANT. All walks must be pre-booked with the leader of the walk. This is essential so the leader can inform you if the walk is cancelled for any reason. Also, all walks will be limited to a maximum of 12 participants. If you arrive at a venue without booking, you could be turned away if the number of participants has reached its maximum.
Field Trips 2023Bingham Linear Park
Nottinghamshire
Sunday 21 May
Meet at 10.00am at the bridge on Tithby Road in Bingham (grid ref SK 701393). Approx NG13 8GP.
Target Species: Spring butterflies - hopefully Grizzled Skipper.
Wear stout walking boots or shoes as the ground is rough.
No toilets or facilities so bring your own drink or snack.
The walk is about 6 km and takes approx 2 hours.
Contact: Jenny Craig 07979 355413
Longstone Edge
Derbyshire
Sunday 28 May
Meet 10.30am at the big layby Grid Ref SK 199 730 on the single-track road that leaves Great Longstone on the left, just at the RHS bend in the village coming from Monsal Head. The St Crispin pub is just beyond this. If you see this you have gone too far!
This is a meet suitable for those who have difficulty getting around as the walking is very short and easy. There are no conveniences.
In previous years we have not had too much success with this meet but this year I have gone for a prime spot mid-flight period to have our best chance. We just need good weather!
Target Species: - We hope to see Green Hairstreak and Wall Brown if they are out, but also other spring butterflies.
Contact: John & Sylvia Green 07760 136369
Ketton Quarry (LRWT) Nature Reserve
Rutland
Sunday 4 June
Meet at 10.00am..
Parking in the car park at the entrance to the reserve, on the left off Pit Lane, Ketton, Stamford PE9 3SZ. GR SK 979053 (Sheet 141)
Ketton Quarry is located in eastern Rutland. From the A47 take the A6121 towards Stamford. This road passes through Ketton, but just before leaving the village turn left into Pit Lane. The entrance to the car park is on the left about 400m further on just after the roundabout. The reserve is accessed via steps. Stout footwear is recommended..
After lunch (bring a packed lunch) there is an option to explore the area close by known as The Valley.
Target Species: Spring butterflies including, Dingy and Grizzled Skipper, and Green Hairstreak. Also Orange-tailed Clearwing moth and Liquorice Piercer Moth.
There are no facilities.
Contact: Max Maughan 07484 881502
Hoe Grange Quarry
Longcliffe, Derbyshire – SK222560
Sunday 2 July
The 5th Open Day for Derbyshire’s first Butterfly Reserve
From 11.00am to 4.00pm.
Members of Butterfly Conservation East Midlands, including Ray Walker (Hon Warden), Derek Brownlee (Hon Assistant Warden) together with Pat and Ken Orpe and other volunteers will be able to show visitors around this restored limestone quarry where already 29 species of butterflies have been recorded including Dark-green Fritillary and the Peak District version of the Brown Argus. It will also be possible to see the work that many volunteers have done to enhance the habitat so as to increase the biodiversity at the site. The newly erected Information Centre will be open containing charts showing what has been recorded on the site.
There will be toilets on site.
Car Parking
This will be at Curzon Lodge (DE4 4HN) which is situated down the hill towards Grangemill from the crossroads in Longcliffe village. Mini buses will then take visitors direct into Hoe Grange Quarry.
Contact: Ken Orpe ken@malaga.plus.com
Bagworth Heath Woods Country Park
Leicestershire
Wednesday 5th July
Meet at 10.30 in the Car Park, Grid Ref: SK 457068
Target Species: Marbled White and other summer butterflies
Bagworth Heath Woods is located off Heath Road, approximately 0.6 miles south of Bagworth towards Merry Lees and Desford, in West Leicestershire.
This 75 hectare (185 acre) Country Park has been transformed from the scarred industrial landscape of Desford Colliery into a valuable recreational resource. Owned and managed by Leicestershire County Council, Bagworth Heath Woods is made up of woodland, grassland heathland, lakes and ponds. There is a network of grass and surfaced paths through varied habitats. In previous years our field trips concentrated mainly on grassland species, however, following the sighting of Purple Emperor here in 2022 we are going to explore the woodland areas a bit more.
Some of the woodland tracks are uneven and could be wet in places, so stout footwear is advised.
There is a free car park at Heath Road Bagworth, LE67 1DL, but no toilet facilities.
Contact: Eliot Taylor 0116 2871677
Aston Brickyards (LNR)
Derbyshire
Sunday 9 July
Meet at 11.00am at the site entrance which is on Derby Road, Aston at Grid Reference SK413303 – ample parking is available just inside the site gates.
This ‘brownfield’ site of 3.5 hectares is the flagship Community Project for the site owners (Derbyshire County Council) and a local group known as FAB (Friends of Aston Brickyards) was set up in 2013 and subsequently the site has been designated as a Local Nature Reserve (LNR). A butterfly transect has been carried out on site since the year 2000 and to date 26 species have been recorded on site, many of which are breeding there.
Target species on the day include White-letter Hairstreak (present), Purple Hairstreak (present), Silver-washed Fritillary (seen during the last 3 summers) and Essex Skipper (present).
Visitors will be able to see the conservation work that has been carried out including the butterfly bank, the planting of disease resistant elms and the creation of a new pond.
The visit should finish by 1.00pm.
Contact: Ken Orpe ken@malaga.plus.com
Cloud Wood (LRWT) Nature Reserve
Leicestershire
Tuesday 11 July
Meet: 2.00pm in the lay-by opposite the reserve.
Location: SK419214. (Postcode for SatNav DE73 8BG). Cloud Wood lies in the N.W. of Leicestershire, 1.5km S.E. of Breedon-on-the-Hill on the road between Tonge and Griffydam. It is part of the site of an ancient woodland that was originally coppiced in the traditional way. Parts of the wood are still coppiced by the Wildlife Trust in rotation, and other areas are left to grow naturally. There is a diverse range of flora and fauna present.
Nearest toilets and facilities (lovely cafe) are in Staunton Harold Garden Centre (LE65 1RU).
Target Species: Silver-washed Fritillary, White-letter Hairstreak and hopefully Purple Emperor.
Contact: Richard Jeffery 07803 599247
Coombs Dale.
Derbyshire
Wednesday 19 July
Meet at 10.00am at the bottom of the Dale by the playing field where there is a parking area - SK 236751. It is on the A623 towards Stoney Middleton. There is also parking around Calver Crossroads.
Target species: Dark-Green Fritillary, Brown Argus and other summer butterflies
Morning walk finishes around 12.30pm. Facilities available in nearby pub and cafe.
Contact: John and Al Roberts 01142 306487, 07752 675363
The Big Butterfly Count Event
National Stone Centre, Wirksworth
Derbyshire
Sunday 23 July
From 11 am till 3 pm.
There will be guided walks around the site looking for White-letter Hairstreaks as well as Dark-green and Silver-washed Fritillaries.
There will be a sales stall on behalf of EMBC.
The NSC has a good café on site and there are toilet facilities available as well.