Butterflies on the Downs 🌿🦋

After a bite to eat up at Compton Abbas Airfield with Iris and Woody, the evening was simply too beautiful not to take the slow walk home across the Downs. The golden light, the warm breeze and the sound of skylarks singing overhead made one of those evenings where you can’t help but stop every few steps just to take it all in.

One of the most magical things about living here is that, just a 20-minute walk from our door, is one of the country’s most renowned butterfly spots. People travel from all over the UK, and even further afield, to experience the incredible diversity of butterflies found on our chalk downland. And once you’ve seen it in summer, it’s easy to understand why.

The Downs were absolutely alive with movement. We spotted Brimstones drifting through the hedgerows like little yellow leaves, delicate Small Blues fluttering low amongst the grasses, and clouds of Chalk Hill Blues dancing over the wildflowers. The brilliant electric blue of the Adonis Blue never fails to stop us in our tracks either.

But the real highlight of the evening was finding a Glanville Fritillary butterfly 🧡

The Glanville Fritillary is considered one of Britain’s rarer butterflies and is strongly associated with flower-rich grassland habitats. They rely on carefully balanced ecosystems with the right wildflowers and undisturbed chalk grassland to survive, making them an important indicator of healthy landscapes. Seeing one so closely, and gently holding it for a moment before letting it continue on its way, felt incredibly special.

Along the walk we also discovered a tent caterpillar nest hidden amongst the hedgerow branches, listened to skylarks pouring song into the evening sky, and wandered through orchids and wildflowers thriving across the organic chalk downland.

We feel unbelievably lucky to have such diverse and beautiful countryside right on our doorstep. These ancient chalk hills are absolutely bursting with life when managed sympathetically, and every slow walk reminds us just how important it is to care for and protect them.

It’s one of the greatest joys of living here — and something we love sharing with our guests too 💛