Family Reptile Adventure

Calling all children with a sense of adventure and a curiosity about the natural world.

Do you have a child who loves discovering wildlife? Join our brilliant volunteer reptile surveyor, Lynne Sewell, for a small-group Family Reptile Adventure, where you’ll explore the fascinating world of Britain’s native reptiles.

Lynne knows all the best places to look and will lead a gentle walk around Heal Somerset, sharing her knowledge of the reptiles that call the site home. Along the way, you’ll learn how to spot and identify different species, discover the habitats they depend on and keep an eye out for plenty of other summer wildlife too.

The walk also takes in our thriving wetlands, where you’ll be able to see the remarkable changes our resident beavers have been making to the landscape and you may even meet our friendly, wild-living tamworth pigs, Ticket and Tailor.

Lizards and other species you might see: At Heal, we have recorded common lizard, slow worm, grass snake, common toad and all three native newt species: smooth newt, palmate newt and great crested newt. You can also expect to see dragonflies, butterflies, birds and a host of other summer wildlife.

About your guide, Lynne

Lynne has been interested in reptiles and amphibians for as long as she can remember. As a child, she would lift rocks or discarded sheets of corrugated iron in the hope of finding reptiles sheltering beneath them. Lynne says “on one memorable occasion, I even jumped into a lake to catch a grass snake which I then took home to my long-suffering parents! That fascination has stayed with me throughout my life, and I still feel a thrill whenever I lift something that might be hiding a reptile or amphibian underneath. I feel lucky to be able to regularly survey for reptiles at Heal”.