What to see and do in August
August is a magical time out on our nature reserves, where the height of summer brings verdant landscapes, abundant wildlife and an array of outdoor activities. Whether you are a seasoned nature enthusiast, in search of a serene escape, or looking for activities to entertain little ones, our reserves offer something for everyone. Here are some of our top tips for things to see and do this month.
Brockholes Village Fete is back!
Our popular summer village fete returns to Brockholes this August bank holiday weekend with a special Roman twist!
Join us for an unforgettable three days of summer celebration with a spectacular Roman twist as we welcome special guests from the Roman Military Research Society. With interactive experiences, live entertainment and plenty of surprises throughout the weekend, this years summer village fete will have something for everyone.
Keep an eye out for kingfishers
Summer is the perfect time to spot one of our most vibrant and iconic birds, the kingfisher. Take a stroll alongside one of our rivers and keep your eyes peeled for a flash of blue as they dart along the water in search of food – the sight is worth the wait! Read on to learn more about these special birds and some of our top tips for where to see them around our region.
Jon Hawkins - Surrey Hills Photography
Explore the Fylde Sand Dunes
Explore the stunning Fylde sand dunes this Summer! Join our expert guides to uncover wildlife, history, hidden gems, and the vital conservation work that's taking place to protect them.
Guided walks on the dunes this August include our Discover the Dunes walk on Sunday 2nd August, and our Wildflowers of the Fylde Dunes walk on Thursday 13th August.
Fylde Sand Dunes Guided Walk ©Brian Jones
Capture the colours of summer
The theme for August's photography competition is 'Colours of Summer'.
Our reserves are full of colour and life at the moment, whether it's blooming wildflowers, vibrant butterflies and day-flying months, green woodlands or darting kingfishers. We can't wait to see how you interpret this month's theme - enter your photos by Sunday 16th August to be in with a chance of featuring in our 2027 calendar!
Stephen Catterall
Go wild at Brockholes
There's an absolutely jam-packed calendar of events taking place at Brockholes all summer long, ready to entertain the whole family during the school holidays!
Our events will follow a different theme each week throughout the summer holidays with something for everyone. Step back in time and roam our floating visitor village with dinosaurs, embrace the outdoors through wild play and nature-inspired craft activities, learn about minibeasts, walk an alpaca, go on a bat walk, or help us build a LEGO® version of the reserve.
Pond dipping is back, too, along with our Xplorer challenge and various family-friendly guided walks taking place each week. Browse our summer events below and book your tickets!
North Lancashire Wildlife Group's summer events
The North Lancashire Wildlife Group are hosting a summer walk at Heysham Nature Reserve on Sunday 2nd August. Explore the reserve and spot butterflies, dragonflies, wildflowers, sea birds and more - no experience or knowledge is needed, and everyone is welcome.
Or, join the group's moth trapping and bat detection evening at Warton Crag on Saturday 8th August, where we'll search for moths by attracting them to lights and sugar. We will also observe bats at dusk and after dark using bat detectors.
NLWG
Introduce your little ones to nature at The Hive
This summer, The Hive at Moss Bank Park is hosting several family-friendly events where little ones can connect with nature. Designed with pre-schoolers and the under sevens in mind, the Hive encourages young people to make lasting connections with nature through creative play.
Come along to celebrate National Play Day on Wednesday 5th August, join our Teddy Bears' Picnic on Tuesday 18th August, or take part in a Woodland Survival day on Thursday 27th August.
Learn about butterflies and dragonflies
Join our Guided Walk Leaders for an Introduction to Butterflies and Dragonflies at Brockholes on Wednesday 12th August.
Brockholes is a haven for butterflies and dragonflies at this time of year, and we will take you to our best spots and provide you with some hints and tips on how to identify many of our common species!
Leslie Price
Explore the beauty of Lunt Meadows
Come along to Lunt Meadows and enjoy exploring this beautiful wetland reserve in the height of summer.
Our Reserve Officers will be hosting two guided walks on Friday 7th August, a shorter walk in the morning and a longer walk in the afternoon, where you'll be able to learn how its various habitats are managed and keep an eye out for the incredible wildlife that calls it home.
Or if you're in the mood to get stuck in, we have two Wetland Warrior volunteering days taking place on Monday 3rd and Monday 17th August where you can meet new people, enjoy the outdoors, and make a positive impact for wildlife and nature.
Bob Hurrell
Take a Wildflower Year guided walk at Brockholes
Join our Guided Walk Leaders on Thursday 20th August for a fascinating insight into the flora of Brockholes Nature Reserve and how it changes over the year. We will also cover the folklore associated with our wildflowers, trees and fungi.
We will also be repeating the walk at regular intervals through out the year, so you can spot how things change as part of nature's calendar.
A sunny wildflower walk
Kingfisher at Mere Sands Wood, by Gaz Clarke
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