Butterfly Trail
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About Butterfly Trail
The Butterfly Trail is a circular walk starting and finishing at the Haldon Gateway. In places the walk gives you stunning views across the forest and over the Teign valley.
The three mile waymarked route takes you down to the butterfly area, and as the name suggests this area is managed especially for butterflies! Throughout the year Forestry Commission staff, in conjunction with Butterfly Conservation, monitors and manages the area to provide ideal conditions for the many butterfly species recorded here. Bracken is allowed to dominate some of the open areas as, here on Haldon, this provides the perfect conditions for one of Britain's rarest butterflies, the pearl bordered fritillary.
Thanks to the management carried out here this butterfly has established a good strong population making it an important site for this drastically declining species. Over 30 species of butterfly have been recorded within this small area.
How to get there:
Butterfly Trail can be started from Haldon Gateway in Haldon Forest Park. Exeter is the nearest town or village.
Travelling by car turn off the A38 at Exeter Racecourse and follow the signs for Haldon Forest Park. The Haldon Gateway Car Park is signposted further along the road on the left.
OS Grid Reference: SX884849
For details of public transport visit http://www.transportdirect.info
You can also access this trail through Bird of Prey Viewpoint.
Wildlife
Mammals: Signs of badgers, foxes, roe and fallow deer can be found throughout the walk and, if you are quiet, you will often encounter the two deer species even in the middle of the day.
Dormice breed throughout the walk area and their population is monitored by our staff. During late summer and early autumn look for their distinctively opened hazel nut shells under the many clumps of hazel that grow in this area.
Another mammal that uses the area on an occasional basis is the otter – the stream and pond are an attractive feeding spot for this mammal as it wanders around the catchment area in its territory. We have information about Roe deer, Fallow deer and Badger
Birds: This walk is particularly good for the birdwatcher as it takes you through a variety of habitats. A wide variety of small songbirds can be found including yellowhammer and common whitethroat. Turtle dove and crossbill breed here too, as do sparrowhawk and common buzzard. Nightjars breed nearby and can be seen and heard from the walk during summer evenings.
The pond is also used by many species including the grey wagtail, moorhen, mallard and kingfisher. We have information about Nightjar
Insects and reptiles: Apart from the butterflies there are a whole host of insects that can be found along the walk, amongst the most spectacular are the dragonflies and damselflies. These can be found throughout the walk, but the pond half way along is the best place to look for species such as the golden-ringed dragonfly and the beautiful demoiselle damselfly.
Common lizards are frequent but usually quickly disappear, if you are lucky you may spot a grass snake or an adder basking on the walk verges. We have information about Adder, Pearl-bordered fritillary and Silver-washed fritillary
Habitats: The walk takes you through a variety of habitats, including lowland heath, mixed woodland and open grassland. We have information about Lowland heath
What's on in Haldon Forest Park
| Haldon Gateway Facilities. |
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| Grade of trail: |
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Trail waymarking:
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| Length of trail: 3 miles |
| Approximate time of trail: |
| Open or closed: open |
| Click here to find out what else you can do in this forest. |
Contact: |
| Haldon Forest Park Ranger's Office 01392 834251 |
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