The Wild Side of Sidmouth

The ‘Wild Side of Sidmouth’ website is provided as an open, accessible natural history resource focused on our town. Across the reference pages you will find information about local geology, climate influences, habitat classifications, profiles of fifty distinct wild places and much, much more. Yet an encyclopedia is only as useful as what people do with it.

The natural world across the Sid Valley is not a set of disconnected islands or static museum pieces. It is a living, working network. A damp alder meadow upstream is not just a pleasant place to walk; it is a natural sponge moderating flood surges for houses below. A scruffy, overgrown hedge boundary is not neglected scrub; it is a vital wildlife corridor allowing bats, dormice, and owls to move safely between isolated woods.

The ‘Learning Community’ mission is to help local residents, walkers, and lifelong learners "read" these landscape connections. By understanding how our valley functions as an ecological system—and recognising the measures needed to aid nature's recovery—we gain the knowledge and vocabulary to champion our local environment. When walking with family, friends, or grandchildren, that understanding can be passed on, transforming a casual stroll into an informed appreciation of the living landscape around us.

Whilst many would like to know more about the wild places of the Sidmouth area, the influences that have shaped them and the nature recovery processes that are shaping the future of the town and valley not everyone wants to immerse themselves in a concerted study project. The ‘Learning Hub’ is for those who would prefer to learn and expand their knowledge gradually, over a period of time in 'bite size' pieces.

To meet the needs of the bite size enthusiasts the ‘Learning Hub’ offers a range of facilities for learning in a relaxed,  informal and personal way; methods that suit individual learning requirements and preferences.

“Community Hub”

A key part of the Learning Community is the 'Community Hub' where you can bring questions, information and knowledge to share with other learning community users. This is also the place where notices and other learning materials will be published (eg: some interesting videos or articles). The page also includes a list of articles published across the entire learning community network.

“Guided Learning”

If you want to step in deeper and understand why habitats look the way they do, how National Vegetation Classifications apply to familiar local woods, and how landscape corridors support regional nature recovery, our free ‘Guided Learning’ programme is designed for you.

"Spotlight Learning"

In contrast to the progressive 'Guided Learning' experience 'Spotlight Learning' provides information about a specific place or species. It is a dip in and out offering of a single page of notes on a specific subject. Once you subscribe you will get a couple of 'spotlight' articles a week.

“Research Notebook”

The ‘Wild Side of Sidmouth’ was built from an underlying knowledge base that was curated from many relevant on-line sources. This knowledge base is opened up for you to use as a 'Research Notebook' where you can ask your own questions, make your own notes and interact with the information in other ways.

“News Updates”

If you simply want to keep an eye on seasonal sightings, news from local conservation groups, or notice of upcoming activities, our social channels provide a casual, visual look at what is happening across the area.

“Active Learning”

For those looking for a more 'Active Learning' environment, perhaps attending walks and talks or maybe volunteering in some way, we offer a directory of local groups that you can contact; all would be delighted to hear from you!