WELCOME
I’D NEVER heard a sound quite like it. Guttural, deep and demanding attention. The stag’s bellow – that long, low, outward breath signifying strength and superiority amongst other males – took my own away. Floored, I sat in Lyme Park under a pink sky as the late autumn sun rose, with Manchester’s skyscrapers glowing orange in the distance.
I had only the rutting bucks and their harem for company. Antlers clashed like cymbals: a cacophony with Mother Nature conducting.
I pondered the possibility that there is no purer encounter to be had in the great outdoors than one with the many-legged locals or those of the winged, scaled or furry variety.
Yet, I still find it hard to reconcile the power of the stags with the stats. UK wildlife continues to decline, according to the State of Nature 2023 report, and we bear witness to significant loss of plants, animals and fungi through habitat loss, development and persecution. As a result, the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth. You only need to admire sweeping views from Lake District fells – allowed for by a concerningly treeless landscape – to notice this.
Notice, we must. And, indeed, many do. In this issue, nature lovers share beautiful experiences still possible up and down these islands. Jess Jones turns her lens to the Scottish Highlands and beyond (page 36). James Roddie shares advice on encountering the natural wonders of the mountains (page 58). Our experts also map 10 walking routes on which to encounter wildlife, from otters to feral goats, across the UK. Wild though these places may seem, this is an illusion. Much of our ‘wild’ life in Britain is managed in some way – for better or worse. Looking across the pond
