A local charity is offering people ideas for a wild Christmas with a difference.
Leading conservation charity Devon Wildlife Trust has developed a series of ideas
for 'wild Christmas escapes' and is urging people to spend just a small part of the
festive season and get away from the excesses and stresses of this time of year.
Devon Wildlife Trust's Steve Hussey explained the idea:
'Despite all the merry making Christmas can bring with it a series of challenges to
our health and well-being. And if this seems a bit Scrooge-like then which of us can
really say that we haven't had a Christmas past in which we've felt trapped by the
combination of too much food, too many relatives and too many repeats on the telly?'
Steve added:
'We wanted to offer people a chance to escape some of the stresses of Christmas by
re-connecting with local nature. It's important not to forget your wild side and
this needn't mean consuming more food and drink or spending hours looking at a
screen. Instead it means taking a bit of time to get outdoors with the wonderful
wildlife and wild places which are local to you. Exploring your wild side provides a
great way of re-charging your Christmas spirit.'
Devon Wildlife Trust looks after 49 nature reserves around the county including some
of Devon's most beautiful landscapes and most wonderful nature, and the charity
believes that a visit to anyone of them this Christmas will be time well-spent.
Steve Hussey added:
'Wherever you are you in Devon you can feel the positive impact of wildlife. In
Exeter you can experience one of nature's great winter spectacles with a visit to
the Old Sludge Beds nature reserve to see the huge starling murmurations as birds
congregate in their thousands each evening. In Plymouth you can enjoy a walk through
woods at Warleigh Point nature reserve to the edge of the Tamar and the estuary's
stunning winter wading birds. In North Devon you take a stroll beside the white
water of the River Torridge at Halsdon nature reserve near Great Torrington or if
feeling more energetic climb the wildest sections of the Coast Path in to Marsland
nature reserve near Hartland.'
For those looking for Christmas escape ideas Devon Wildlife Trust has set up a
series of 5 'Wild Walks' through its nature reserves. Ranging from 3 to 6 miles the
walks are another way to escape the sometimes overwhelming world of Christmas. The
walks provide a perfect way for families to get out of the house and burn off a few
of the Christmas calories. Details of the Trust's Wild Walks can be found at
www.devonwildilfetrust.org
And if you can't get out to the great outdoors this Christmas period, then the
Trust's message is make sure you get nature to visit you. Your garden's birds will
welcome the opportunity for an energy boost provided by some of your Christmas
leftovers - a bit of crumbled Christmas cake, some bacon fat, an end of cheese left
on the bird table will be much appreciated.
Steve continued:
'In return for feeding them garden birds will put on a Christmas show the likes of
which you won't get from repeats on the telly. Putting just half an hour aside to
watch their comings and goings can re-connect you with the wild world outside your
kitchen window. Seeing who arrives, watching their behaviour, their squabbles, the
jostling for food, the different table manners and eating techniques - it can be
just like what goes on around many human Christmas dinner tables, but without the
emotional baggage!'
To plan your wild Christmas escape visit the charity's website
www.devonwildlifetrust.org
'Tree hugger: the Devon Wildlife Trust is giving people ideas to re-connect with
nature this Christmas. Photo copyright Tom Marshall (All rights reserved)
