Whipsnade Downs?

[Yashca]

I have suddenly got the opportunity to spend part of my weekend in Bedfordshire. Obviously I tried to find out some of the best butterfly sites, and I heard that there was a colony of Duke of Burgundy and Grizzled Skipper on Whipsnade Downs in Bedfordshire, both species that I have never seen before.

I don't know the area at all, though, and wondered if anyone could tell me where best to park, and where I need to be looking for either of these species. I know Dukes can be pretty localised and I don't fancy wandering around all the wrong areas getting frustrated. Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Yashca,
Click on http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/sites_ng ... r_name=All (UKB 'Sites' submenu), scroll down to Whipsnade, click on the Grid Ref given, then zoom in on the map which appears.
Good luck. Neil

[Yashca]

That is excellent, thank you. I wasn't aware of that function on the website - it'll come in really handy in future.

Once again, thanks.

[millerd]

A good place to park is at the Visitor Centre on the B4541 (TL008198). You can then walk down the NW-facing slope (always trending left) along one of several paths running obliquely down across it, ending up at the bottom somewhere near SP998187. The gullies are quite sheltered and Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, Green Hairstreaks and Dukes can all be found there (as well as other species). I have vague plans to go there tomorrow or Sunday depending on the weather, curiously enough...

There are great views, and it's fairly close to Ivinghoe Beacon (which is another site for Duke of Burgundy) and to Totternhoe Quarry - which has Small Blues in addition to all the Whipsnade species.

Dave

[Yashca]

Unfortunately my car broke down, so my whole trip was cancelled. Very frustrating, as the weather was very pleasant and I felt I had a decent chance of two new species, Grizzled Skipper and Duke of Burgundy.