LOCAL environmental group Transition Town Wellington (TTW) offers the public a large number of sites – and sights – to enjoy around the town.

As Spring takes over, and shrubs and trees come to life, now is as good a time as any to meander down to one of the blossoming fields and meadows and take in the local green sites.

The Wellington Weekly News are recommending three sites in the Tonedale and Rockwell Green areas which can be visited in one long loop, or one at a time. There are also a number of other sites which are open and accessible to the public around the town which can be found online.

Enjoy a coffee at Braziers Coffee Roasters before trundling down to Fox’s Field, a 8.5 acre area of open green space close to Tonedale Mill.

Between December 2021 and January 2022, roughly 330 trees and shrubs were planted, with some scattered across the field, and others concentrated in the Fox’s Field Forest Garden, to the south of the site.

There are now a total of 390 plants in the space, including a range of apple, chestnut and apricot trees among other fruit trees, with a food hedge, or “fedge” lined with lavender, sage, goji berries, and blackberry plants to name a few.

The public are welcome to pick and enjoy the plant produce for themselves, at no cost.

From Fox’s Field, walkers can travel through Fox Cub Field, under the railway bridge following Black Stream, to arrive at the Basin’s. Head south east to follow a path to a railway crossing, which is the gateway to the next Transition Town Site, Linden Meadow.

This next field is located next to Linden House and Linden Cottage, where tree planting started in February 2023 with 131 trees being planted by more than 40 volunteers. Now neighbours to the existing Wellingtonia and Lucombe Oak, volunteers have added Oak, Wild Cherry, Silver Birch, Sweet Chestnut and Walnut trees among others.

Visitors can enjoy a spring time gander, discovering the trees and shurbs with a dog in tow. Others may prefer to walk to the top of the meadow to train spot.

Longacre is the perfect way to tie off a long day of walking. Located in Rockwell Green, running parallel to Greenway Road and the railway line, Longacre can be accessed from the end of Dobree Park road.

When Transition Town Wellington were asked to manage the land in 2019, Longacre was an area of largely overgrown brambles, nettles and fly-tipping. After the planting of trees and bushes in the winter 2019/2020, followed by two soft fruit beds added in 2020-21, Longacre It is now a beautiful mix of wildflower meadows, wildlife areas, fruit trees and bushes, wetland areas and mown pathways.

To find out more about Transition Town Wellington and the various sites, visit https://ttw.org.uk/sites/