Dusk Walk with Nick Patel

As daylight fades and the natural world shifts from the bustle of day to the quiet rhythms of night, join us for a peaceful and immersive dusk walk through the rewilding landscapes of Heal Somerset.

Guided by wildlife expert Nick Patel, this gentle evening stroll invites you to tune into the changing sounds of nature — from the last songs of daytime birds to the emerging calls of owls and the fluttering presence of bats overhead. You’ll learn to identify bird calls and evening wildlife behaviours, while also keeping an eye out for more hidden wonders like spiders spinning their webs and the emergence of late-season fungi among the undergrowth.

This is also a magical time to witness more elusive creatures such as foxes as they begin their twilight routines, and to discover how the shifting light transforms your connection to the land.

As the walk draws to a close, if weather allows we’ll gather around the fire pit to enjoy hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows, sharing reflections on the evening and the stories of rewilding that continue to unfold across the site.

Let this be a gentle, grounding way to end your day — a moment to reconnect with the wild and the wonder of nature at night.

About your guide, Nick Patel:

Nick is a tour guide, conservationist, naturalist and birder and is passionate about helping to protect, create and maintain British wildlife. A lifelong birdwatcher, and former nature reserve warden, Nick has devoted his life to shouting about how amazing our native biodiversity is and just why we should care for it.

Nick says “I am really pleased and super excited to be working with Heal and looking forward to showcasing some of the amazing work they are doing at the Heal Somerset site. It’s truly inspiring and you can already feel an abundance of nature, which I am excited to share with people though my tours”.

LOCATION

Heal Somerset is in a very rural location, a few miles from Bruton, Frome, the A303 and the Wiltshire border, at Lower West Barn Farm, Bindon Lane, Witham Friary, BA11 5HH. Directions will be sent in a confirmation email.

TIMINGS

4.55pm: Meet at visitors' carpark

5pm: Tour begins

7pm: Refreshments around firepit or in farmhouse in the case of bad weather

CLOTHING AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

We recommend you bring binoculars for this tour, if you don't have any you could use, please let us know ahead of the day.

It is likely to be wet underfoot so we recommend that you wear wellingtons or sturdy waterproof shoes or walking boots suitable for rough, uneven ground. If the forecast is wet, bring a waterproof jacket and a hat and dress warmly.

[We give this level of detail to encourage wider participation in our events by people who may be unfamiliar with being out in nature and we hope this is useful for them as well as a reminder to those already aware.]

ACCESSIBILITY

The site is not yet wheelchair-accessible, but we do have one all-terrain mobility scooter available. If you would like to use this, please let us know ahead of the event.

If you use an assistance dog, your dog will be welcome.

If you have any additional questions about accessibility please email events@healrewilding.org.uk.

OTHER THINGS

Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel this walk and either refund you or book you into an alternative date. This would be due to a very poor weather forecast or illness and will be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Please note, tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled.

Children and babies

Children are welcome on the walk as are babies in slings (the site is not pushchair-friendly in a lot of areas). Please contact events@healrewilding.org.uk for more information about bringing children.

Dogs

We welcome assistance dogs but you can't bring a pet dog or any other pets to the site.

Supporting Heal

Please note, up to 50% of your ticket price will go towards supporting the work of Heal.

You'll also have the chance to become a Friend of Heal and to donate to support our work.

Special ticketing

If you are unwaged, a student or living on a very low income and the cost of attending is prohibitive, please email events@healrewilding.org.uk as we may be able to support your attendance. Please note this may not always be possible.

Local accommodation

We can't offer accommodation yet at Heal Somerset. There are lots of places to stay in and around Frome and Bruton.

Transport

The remote rural location means that travelling here by car is the most practical option and there will be car parking available for all tour participants. We do have a minibus for station pick ups where needed so contact events@healrewilding.org.uk for more information about that.

Photo credit: Fox cub image by Jen Vickers