This month the second Sunday falls on the exact anniversary of the Dechmont UFO Incident! So obviously we’re heading to Dechmont Law to search for aliens!!! (aka. non-native and invasive spec…

This month the second Sunday falls on the exact anniversary of the Dechmont UFO Incident! So obviously we're heading to Dechmont Law to search for aliens!!! (aka. non-native and invasive species) 🌳👽🌳 When: Sunday 9th November, 2 to 3:30pm Meeting point: Eastwood Park car park, near Deans Community High School. Google maps:  What 3 Words: …

Our October walk took us to Calderwood, a Site of Scientific Interest, near Mid Calder. Following the marked, circular hazel trail, the group practiced tree identification skills, focusing on autumn nuts and berries as clues. Although, we were too late for any hazelnuts - the squirrels must have got them all already. The autumn colours were in full display, and the abundant bracken created a beautiful scene.

Autumnal walk in Calderwood Join us for a slow paced walk in Calderwood, Mid Calder on Sunday 12 October 2025. This is an opportunity to spend some time in nature, exploring this ancient woodland and enjoying the beautiful autumnal colours. We will meet at the Mid Calder entrance to Almondell and Calderwood Country park, just off the car park. We will then follow the path towards Calderwood and explore the circular, yellow waymarked hazel Trail.

Learn about pollinators workshop On Sunday 17/08/2025 we joined Melissa from Buglife -The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, for a pollinator workshop at Almondell Country Park, in East Calder. The aim of the workshop was to train participants to monitor pollinators by conducting Flower-Insect Timed counts. This 10 minute survey, that can be done in gardens and parks, collects important data on the changes of pollinator numbers visiting flowers.

In September our Ramble&Chat will take us to the woodland near Bellsquarry called Wilderness. This diverse Woodland Trust site has good habitats for various wildlife and plants. When: Sunday 14th September, 2-3:30pm Meeting point: the path on the East side of Bellsquarry Primary School, 52 Calder Road, Bellsquarry, EH54 9AD Google maps:  What 3 Words…

One of my guilty pleasures is watching YouTube travel videos, made by overseas visitors to Scotland and the UK. It’s interesting to see and hear an unfiltered, instant impression of where you live,...

We were a group of five this month for our Livingston Ramble&Chat outing in nature. We took a slow walk around the grassy meadows between the allotments and the River Almond to see what could be spotted living among the long grasses. These areas that are left uncut are a huge benefit to the insects living there, which in turn benefits the birds, bats and everything else that relies on insect life.

Join us on Sunday 17/08/2025 for a pollinators identification workshop at Almondell Country Park. This month, we will join Buglife for an introduction into pollinator identification at Almondell Country Park, East Calder. The event is free to attend and everyone is welcome. Please book a free spot via try booking.com/UK/EXMZ The event is part of West Lothian Council's Biodiversity Month…

Join us for a relaxed stroll through a little-known gem of an area in Livingston for July's Ramble&Chat. We'll be wandering around the beautiful meadows beside the Killandean allotments and the River Almond. The area sits within the Kirkton Campus Industrial Estate but goes largely unnoticed by most people driving passed on the main road. A short walk from the car park opposite the allotments will take us under the underpass and on to an easy trail.

This month we'll take a Ramble&Chat around Dedridge Pond. It’s Pond Watch weekend so we’re planning a bit of pond dipping too. Meeting point: the stone bridge at the North end of Dedridge Pond Google maps:  What 3 Words:///engage.actors.jumps Meeting time: 2pm  How to get there: The pond is just South of The Lanthorn in Kenilworth Rise, EH54 6NY.

Having recently moved house, I was unsure what the results of No Mow May would be! Both front and back lawns had a cut at the end of April, and some new grass seeds scattered to cover some empty patches. On 1st June, I took photos of the plants that appeared in my lawn in the last 30 days. Not all of them are in flower yet, so this is a good reason to continue No Mow May with Let it Bloom June!