A Balloch Castle Country Park
The park commands impressive views over a large lake and includes walled gardens, nature trails and guided walks. The ruined castle, built by John Buchanan in the nineteenth century, was once the main visitor centre. Since the early 1990s, the park has hosted several major pop gigs, which have attracted thousands of people.

B Thurrock Thameside Nature Park
In the centre of the park is an exciting new visitor centre built on the site of a former waste disposal site, with superb views over the River Thames. There are footpaths and cycleways in 120 acres of nature park, which will soon expand to 845 acres. Visitors can experience great birdwatching – and boat watching too.

C Turner's Wood
The wood, originally part of the estate of Edward Turner, consists mainly of oak trees, and there is a beautiful display of wildflowers in the spring. Because the wood is quite small, it is not always open to visitors. We do make it available for pupils to visit on nature observation trips, and are keen for people living nearby to get involved in looking after the reserve.

D Moseley Reserve
The reserve supports a variety of plants, animals and insects. Especially fascinating are the twisted old trees, the childhood inspiration of the author JRR Tolkien, who often passed through as he lived nearby. The site also has great historical interest, since remains of an old mill and some nineteenth-century greenhouses have been found here.

E Druridge Park
The park contains a beautiful bay and sand dunes, plus a large freshwater lake surrounded by woods and meadows. This is available for launching windsurfers (by permit). You can also take a pleasant walk around the lake, or enjoy a picnic overlooking it.

F Abbotsbury
Visitors to Abbotsbury can enjoy the unusual experience of walking through the heart of a colony of nesting swans. Close to the beautiful Dorset coast, this unique natural wildlife habitat is also popular with film makers, and has been used as a location for a number of recent blockbusters.