Make natural connections to wildlife and nature. Learn animal track & sign, natural navigation and how get closer to wildlife on a walking workshop or hedgerow safari. Turn up and enjoy a fully guided walk or seasonally themed walk or activity across Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and surrounding counties.
Outdoor adventures
Natural Connections
Make natural connections to wildlife and nature. Learn ‘natural skills’ on a walking workshops or hedgerow safari. Turn up and enjoy a guided walk or seasonally themed walk.
Outdoor adventures
Natural Connections
Make natural connections to wildlife and nature. Learn ‘natural skills’ on a walking workshops or hedgerow safari. Turn up and enjoy a guided walk or seasonally themed walks and activities.
Walking workshops
Walking workshops are practical, hands-on, and usually take place entirely outdoors. Walk and learn to identify common animal tracks and signs, trail animals with stealth and concealment, and learn how to get closer to nature and find your 'natural connection'.
Hedgerow Safari
Hedgerow safari is more of a discovery adventure than a guided walk. Each season offers new things to learn about in the countryside. Even with a ‘focus’, a great safari can be derailed and delight in unexpected discoveries.
Fully guided walks
Guided walks with a focus on a longer day out, a bit of leg stretch, and discovering new areas. Regular walks across the counties of Dorset, Hampshire, and Wiltshire, and the foray 'abroad'. Check the guided walk pages for FREE walks each month.
MTB rides & tuition
Qualified mountain bike guiding and instruction in Hampshire, Dorset, and Wiltshire. Fantastic cross-country rides, half- and full-day rides, and bespoke instruction available. Check out the MTB pages for FREE regular rides.
Animal track and sign. Introduction to animal trailing
Walking workshop
Learn to identify, record and distinguish between common animal tracks and signs in the countryside. As you gain experience, you will build confidence and skills to locate and recognise them independently. Understanding animal trackand sign interpretation are fundamental for starting animal trailing. This also involves developing an understanding of animal and bird behaviour, as well as personal skills in stealth and concealment.
Introduction to animal track and sign
Mammals, birds and insects leave behind all sorts of clues even if you don't see who made them; tracks, scat, feather, bone, fur, paths, trails, feeding sign and mortal remains (of the victim and the culprit!)
The aim is to find enough examples of track and sign of a variety of species in differing settings for you to be able to find more yourself. I might also bring my box of bones and other track and sign treasures for you to look through!
Learn how to find, record and identify countryside track and sign.
This walking workshop will focus on discovering common animal tracks and sign, learning how to distinguish between them and being able to record information to look up ones you might not know.
Introduction to animal trailing
The start locations and routes may be fluid depending on the ground and weather conditions leading up to and on the actual workshop. Joining details will be for a 'central' meeting point with a few options; please make your self familiar with the locations of all the suggested start locations and how to get there (we may look at car sharing).
Introduction to animal trailing
Nature watching and observation
Walking workshop
Observe wildlife and deepen your connection by learning to tune in, stay stealthy, and remain concealed. This will help you appreciate your presence in nature and foster stronger bonds with wildlife. You’ll gain a greater understanding of how to observe more wildlife and minimise your disturbance, ultimately increasing your natural awareness.
Nature watching and observation
The start locations and routes may be fluid depending on the ground and weather conditions leading up to and on the actual workshop. Joining details will be for a 'central' meeting point with a few options; please make your self familiar with the locations of all the suggested start locations and how to get there (we may look at car sharing).
Nature watching & observationThe aim is to find enough examples of track and sign of a variety of species in differing settings for you to be able to find more yourself. I might also bring my box of bones and other track and sign treasures for you to look through!
The aim is to find enough examples of track and sign of a variety of species in differing settings for you to be able to find more yourself. I might also bring my box of bones and other track and sign treasures for you to look through!
Introduction to animal trailing
The start locations and routes may be fluid depending on the ground and weather conditions leading up to and on the actual workshop. Joining details will be for a 'central' meeting point with a few options; please make your self familiar with the locations of all the suggested start locations and how to get there (we may look at car sharing).
Introduction to animal track & sign
Introduction to track and sign, animal trailing, and making nature connections
Autumn and winter dates you can book TODAY.. Check out the dates and locations pages for all dates and start points.
All dates
You can see all dates and places remaining on the dates and locations page here
Locations
You can see all the start locations used for walks and rides on the dates and locations page here
Book & pay
Use the booking form to reserve a place with a deposit or pay in full on the booking form page here
FAQ's
You can find out more information about activities, what to bring on the FAQ’s page here
Hedgerow Safari - discovery walk
Walk & learn
Enjoy a leisurely countryside walk with plenty of time to wander, learn and simply relax. Explore something new with each passing season, expand your countryside knowledge and skills or simply turn up and enjoy a day outdoors.
Discover, explore and learn
A guided walking adventure with an aim to discover, learn about or simply enjoy what ever we see along the way! Each season reveals more to see and learn or just to explore and enjoy.
A ‘walk and learn’ guided walk exploring the countryside on tracks, paths and through woodlands to see what we can see, hear and enjoy along the way.
I describe this as more of a 'bimble' rather than a walk because we will spend time looking and enjoying whatever plants, animals, animal tracks and sign, fungi, trees and views we encounter along the way. Routes are chosen to find the best the season has to offer and are flexible to take account of the days weather and pace of the group.
Every season you will discover something different, see something unexpected but always learn something new.
You might see wild flower meadows, playful hare, rutting deer, animal tracks, ancient ruins, burial mounds, roman roads, bronze age hill forts and structures, majestic trees, bountiful hedgerows, learn some history and geography.
Those taking part will need to be able to walk up to 12/16km (max) on what might be muddy and uneven surfaces, depending on the time of year. The pace will be slow and easy to maximising the chance to see some birds, animals and to enjoy the time outdoors.
Stopping to look and going off on a discovery tangent is positively encouraged.
Hedgerow safari - walk & learn
Autumn and winter dates you can book TODAY.. Check out the dates and locations pages for all dates and start points.
Guided walks
Fully guided activities
Enjoy regular guided walks across southern England. Most are small group walks with a seasonal or location focus, or favourites that change with the seasons. Guided walks begin from various locations and offer half-day, full-day or two-day options. Free walks are available year-round and are a great way to discover what Wessex Adventures has to offer.
Guided walks - Full, half day and free!
Two-day 'area-focussed' walks take place across the south of England and feature a walk on each day, with the option to book one of the days only or both days together to take in the best walking the area has to offer.
Routes take place on a variety of tracks, paths, and rights of way that are suited to the season. Spring and winter walks will use better-surfaced tracks and paths and will be generally shorter in duration and may be modified at the last minute if the weather is a bit rubbish.
Area-focussed walks will take in the best routes that the area offers, with the option to walk both days or just one of the days. Area walks are published well in advance, so you can arrange accommodation if you want to stay in that area and make a weekend of it.
Whole day walks will start at around 09:30 until around 16:30, and half day walks until around 12:30. Full joining details will be sent around a week before the walk date.
You can read a description of each walk and the Frequently Asked Questions for more information about what to bring, fitness required, and what happens if the weather is not too great.
Fully guided walks you can book now
Autumn and winter dates you can book TODAY.. Check out the dates and locations pages for all dates and start points.
MIAS level 2 - Mountain bike leader
Nigel Parrish - Guided rides, small group and one to one courses and instruction in all aspects off road riding - red and blue trails
MTB guide & instructor
Qualified and fully insured - Guiding, coaching/instruction, off-road cross country, blue and red trail centre routes
Bespoke & groups
1:1, 1:2 & small group off road navigation, cycle skills, coaching & instruction available -
MTB navigation
Bronze National Navigation Award Scheme 'on-your-bike' - Learn how to plan and navigate off-road routes
Regular & free rides
Regular group rides and free rides each month throughout the year