Explore the Wilds of the UK

 

There’s nothing like hearing the sounds and seeing the sights of nature to take away the stresses of the day. Whether you want to do some bird watching, find the elusive red squirrel or just capture some breathing space, there’s a spot made just for you.

The birthplace of scouting and guiding, Brownsea Island, Dorset, provides one of the few homes for the red squirrel in the UK. You will also find Sika deer. In the lagoon, you can watch avocets and black-tailed godwits. Free guided tours are available every day. If you prefer to go it alone, self-guided tours are another option.

The Loch of the Lowes includes 98 hectares of wildlife reserve. Viewing windows allow you to watch red squirrels, great spotted woodpeckers and pine martens feeding. Visit a hide to see roe and fallow deer. During the fall and winter, greylag geese, goldeneyes, mallards, goosanders, wigeons, teals, tufted ducks and great-crested grebes call the loch home. During October and November, you may join the reserve staff for pine marten evenings.

Bring your family to explore Dungeness, which juts out into the English Channel. There are special children’s trails and regular family activities. During October, the first goldeneyes arrive. Then in November, the smews and goosanders follow. Marsh harriers are easy to spot along with their cousins, the hen harriers. As colder weather takes hold, finch sightings will increase, the linnets will form flocks and greenfinches, goldfinches, siskins and chaffinches appear.

It’s easy to picture yourself defending the country from the Romans on a trip to Mardyke Woods in Essex. Composed of Brannett’s Wood, Millard’s Wood and Low Well Wood, Mardyke is among the oldest surviving woods in the area. More than likely, these woods have been here since 54 BC. These historic woods carry the official designation of Ancient Semi Natural Woodlands. It’s just the right spot to soak in the peace nature offers.

For more information on all of the sites above and many more throughout the UK, go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/earth/nature/uk/autumnwatch/content/yourautumn.

Mobile Phone Annoyances Cross Cultural Divide

A new multinational study on mobile phone use may help you when traveling. Researchers found that people’s perceptions of mobile phone etiquette are colored by age, gender, employment status and country. Here are a few insights worth remembering if you journey to any of these countries for work or relaxation:

France: It’s okay to send a text message while walking here.

Finland: Finns don’t think the use of mobile phones while driving should be banned.

Turkey: It’s fine to use your mobile phone while in class.

Italy: It’s quite rude to use your mobile phone while in a theater. (Americans find mobile phone use in the theater the least annoying of situations.)

When asked whether they would feel lost without their mobile phones to make calls, Italians said they would be the least perturbed, but Turks and Americans reported they would be the most concerned about such a loss. The results of the study originally appeared in the International Journal of Mobile Communications.