Mendip Hills National Landscape

The Mendip Hills National Landscape includes the low-lying land and lakes of the Chew Valley and the distinctive limestone Mendip Hills, which rise dramatically from the Levels. The stunning landscape of steep slopes and undulating plateau, punctuated by spectacular gorges and rocky outcrops, spans from the edge of Weston-super-Mare in the west, to England’s smallest city of Wells in the east. On the hilltops there are fantastic views with hundreds of ancient monuments and over 400km of drystone walls, whilst the southern flower-rich grassland slopes and the northern wooded combes offer a variety of important habitats and wildlife, including adders, hazel dormice, skylarks and horseshoe bats.

The Mendip Hills National Landscape Team is excited to be working with Super Culture, Sound UK and local groups to deliver Nature Calling in Weston-super-Mare. We're committed to making the countryside feel more welcoming for new and more diverse audiences, and inspiring communities about the value of the Mendip landscape and its wildlife and heritage. The Mendip Hills and a newly-declared Mendip 'super' National Nature Reserve reach to the edge of the town and we feel that Nature Calling will be a fantastic way to connect people to nature and beautiful green spaces on their doorstep.

Nature Calling will build on the impetus created by some excellent initiatives that already exist in Weston and complements another project led by the Mendip Hills National Landscape Team, which aims to connect people with nature and the countryside to support mental health and wellbeing.

Nature Calling will focus on working with communities in the South Ward of Weston-super-Mare. A project advisory group has been set up to help steer the project locally; members include North Somerset Council, Weston Town Council, Alliance Homes and the South Weston Activity Network. The Team are looking forward to working with local people and organisations and developing a strong partnership that builds on the successes of Nature Calling for the future.