The home of Springwatch 2025

A view from a hill looking over grasslands and woodlands and across the hilly landscape of the Peak District — Looking over the landscape at Longshaw and into the Peak District | © National Trust/James Beck

We are delighted to welcome Springwatch 2025 to Longshaw, for the 20th anniversary of the series. This is the first time the team has broadcast live from this unique landscape made up of peatlands, woodlands and meadows. The stage is set to bring unique and special views of wildlife from across the Peak District to viewers everywhere.

Springwatch 2025 is bringing some magical moments of nature watching from across the Peak District to our screens. The programme will feature stories about some of the intriguing wildlife which rely on the mixture of important habitats in the uplands landscape, including stories about the behaviours of birds such as ring ouzels and pied flycatchers and the magic of mammals and minibeasts from in and around Longshaw, Burbage and the Eastern Moors.

Tune in to see plenty of fascinating stories and drama from nests, setts, burrows and roosts across the iconic moorlands, meadows, woodlands and waterways. As well as wildlife watching from towns and cities on the edge of the Peak District.

Looking further afield, you will also be able to discover more about the wildlife at Mount Stewart in Northern Ireland in the third week of the series.

The programme is on air on BBC Two and iPlayer, from Monday to Thursday for three weeks from Monday 26 May to Thursday 12 June.

When and where to watch

The programme is on BBC Two and iPlayer, from Monday to Thursday for three weeks from Monday 26 May to Thursday 12 June.

Featuring upland wildlife stories

Rosemary Edwards, Executive Producer, Springwatch said:

“We wanted to broadcast from the Longshaw Estate because its upland habitats offer the opportunity to put hidden cameras on a different range of species for the first time, for example ring ouzel, whinchats, and moorland curlew.

“Filming in a new location and getting to know the wildlife there means we can share uplifting stories about our native flora and fauna. And that is something that never ceases to excite us.”

Wildlife stars of the show

The woodlands, heathlands and meadows around Longshaw and the moorlands beyond are home to many fascinating creatures from large mammals like a herd of wild red deer to smaller ones like bats and hares, as well as huge variety of birds, insects and reptiles. Learn more about the stars of the show and other creatures you might see if you visit Longshaw, Burbage and the Eastern Moorse:

Short-eared owl

The short-eared owl has the Latin name Asio Flammeus, from its bright yellow flame coloured eyes. It does have very short ear tufts that stick out from the top of its head. Most Owls nest in trees or like the Barn Owl sometimes in buildings, but the short-eared Owl is a grassland / moorland species and nests on the ground.

A bird with a black head and a white chest standing on grassland holding small insects in its mouth. — A ring ouzel | © Credit Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Ring Ouzels

A real mountaineer among birds, the ring ouzel (which is also sometimes called mountain blackbird) builds its nests across the gritstone edges of the Peak District, sometimes even in the crags usually used by rock climbers. From up high to down low, the bird can also nest on the ground in amongst the bracken in rocky places. Although the Ring Ouzel is naturally shy, its loud bird song can often be heard across the moors. Sadly, numbers of this small black bird with its distinctive white chest have been declining nationally for many years, affected by loss of their habitats, human disturbance and the effects of climate change. Our colleagues from the Eastern Moors Partnership have been working with a local Ring Ouzel expert to find ways to protect these important birds and study them to capture information about them as part of a national study.

A male badger (Meles meles) on farmland managed by the National Trust near Zennor, Cornwall — A badger amongst bluebells | © National Trust Images/Seth Jackson

Badgers

There are various families of badgers living at Longshaw. They are incredibly social creatures living in groups underground, often for many generations. You can often see signs they are around, because they dig up patches of ground looking for worms, pignut, and any other food they can find. They also have “toilet places” called latrines , and leave well worn tracks on their routes to and from setts.

Northern hairy wood ant

Meet some of the smallest residents of Longshaw. The Northern hairy wood ant is a protected species which plays an important role in woodland management. It depends on the honeydew produced by aphids which live in the canopy of oak, birch and pine trees. In return for the honeydew the ants protect the aphids from other predators. You might be able to spot their trails from tree to nest across the estate. It is fascinating to watch them at work as they bring materials for the nest or go back and forth to bring home a meal.

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Be a wise wildlife watcher

Wildlife watching can be so rewarding, but it’s important to do it in a way that doesn’t disturb the species you want to see or damage the landscapes that they need for food and shelter.

Here are 3 top tips to help you see more wildlife and look after the places they live.

Keep your distance – don’t get too close to whatever species you are watching. Your presence could scare them and stop them in their tracks or frighten them away.
Activate your stealth mode – Silence is golden, and the aim is to go unnoticed by the wildlife you are watching. Move quietly, and don’t hang around in one place for too long.
Leave no trace – make sure you are not damaging the spaces that our species call home, and everything they need to live and thrive. Leave plants and vegetation intact, take your litter home and don’t light fires or barbecues.

Visiting Longshaw

You’ll find all you need to know about visiting Longshaw here.

There’s plenty of wildlife watching and nature themed events and activities planned at Longshaw over the next few months. Take a look at our events page to find out more.