The BBC’s new wildlife series, Wild Isles, presented by Sir David Attenborough, is now available on BBC iPlayer. It is produced by Silverback Films and brilliantly co-produced by RSPB, WWF and the Open University, and it features several stunning locations cared for by Avon Wildlife Trust. They include:

When local builder and landowner Bernard Cole sadly died in 2018, he left Avon Wildlife Trust an incredibly generous gift of land in his will: Hutton Hill. This is where you’ll find Hutton Woods, which Avon Wildlife Trust leases from the Woodland Trust.

The 45 hectares of woodland and grassland forms part of a wider pastoral landscape around the Mendips, dominated by rolling fields, hedgerows and woods.

Cloaking a large, limestone ridge, Prior’s Wood bursts with wildflowers from spring, with stunning drifts of bluebells.

This nature reserve is also blessed with streams and an ancient woodland, making for a wildlife-rich setting to explore. Small-leaved lime trees, oak and hazel are abundant here, and along with them comes a rich bird life, including buzzards, garden warblers and chiffchaffs.

Providing spectacular views over Chew Valley Lake and the Mendips, Folly Farm hosts wildflower meadows which have become something of a rarity. Unspoilt by pesticides or fertilisers, the bloom with betony, ox-eye daisy and heath spotted orchid in summer.

Wild Isles viewers were entranced by the swathes of stunning bluebells that Prior’s Wood has to offer when they carpet the woodland floor in late-April.

Viewers were also given incredible insight into the surprising – and smelly – pollination process of lords-and-ladies flowers, filmed at Hutton Woods. These plants, also known as arum, attract flies with their unusual scent and imprison them within their petals to make sure that pollination takes place.

Ian Barrett, Chief Executive of Avon Wildlife Trust said:

“We’re incredibly proud to have played a part in this prestigious documentary series, highlighting just how striking and precious the nature on our doorstep truly is.

“From our iconic bluebell woods to the intricacies of arum pollination, we’re excited to see Avon represented in what is set to be a sensational deep dive into the best that British wildlife has to offer.

“I hope that everyone who watches this series feels inspired to take action for nature, whether that’s by planting wildflowers for bees or building a nest box for birds. Anything you do for the benefit of our natural world will help to create a wilder future.”