Six of Britain's best 'spring heartland' walks

The entire British landscape is reborn in spring, but some 'ultra-special places' merit a seasonal pilgrimage, says nature writer Matthew OatesSpring is primarily about transformation and the promise of summer. It fights a titanic struggle, for winter is loath to let go. Eventually spring wins through, and greens the drab-brown land until its flowers cover winter's grave.Above all, spring is a mighty metamorphosis that would turn any caterpillar green with envy. Wave upon wave of rejuvenation occurs, over entire landscapes, over whole countries. At its zenith, massive changes occur daily: swallows arrive one day, orange-tip butterflies appear the next, then nightingales, and so on. It offers us new epiphanies each day, each sunny hour. Continue reading...