White Pond Farm, Stonor ©Countryside Agency/Tina Stallard

The wild animals and plants of the natural world live their lives according to the annual cycle of the changing seasons. Nature's Calendar provides some of the highlights you can enjoy during the unfolding natural calendar in England. The months in which these highlights appear are only approximate and will vary between habitats, between locations in the north and south of the country and between one year and the next.

A Year In The Countryside

Honeysuckle ©Countryside Agency/Tina Stallard

We’ve included extracts from ‘The Months’ poem at the top of each of the calendar pages. This childhood favourite was written by Sara Coleridge, wife of the famous poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. You can walk the Coleridge Way from Nether Stowey to Porlock in Somerset, passing the smallest complete church in England. Open every page in the calendar to put the whole poem together.

Walk the Coleridge Way

Spring

Bluebells - Kent Downs, King's Wood ©Countryside Agency/Tina Stallard

A good walk in Spring does wonders to shake off the winter blues. Wild and exposed areas may be still cold and muddy, so why not try out bridleways, towpaths and established footpaths?.

March
April
May

Summer

Hadrian's Wall, Winshields Crag ©Countryside Agency/Simon Warner

Summer is a great time to be more adventurous and explore England’s natural diversity in various habitats, from downland, coast and riverbank to moorland, forest or wetland.

June
July
August

Autumn

Grasmere and Fairfield from Loughrigg Fell ©Countryside Agency/Mike Williams

As the days grow shorter in the autumn, it’s hard to resist getting out to enjoy the changing landscapes.

September
October
November

Winter

Lunedale, Upper Teesdale - Pennine Way National Trail ©Countryside Agency/Mike Kipling

In the depths of winter, wrap up well and head for the hills and valleys to discover how the natural world survives when food and warmth are scarce.

December
January
February