Nature’s Olympic Champions

Imagine if our wildlife was to hold its own Olympic games. Who might be in with a chance of winning the gold medals?

For the long jump, how about the grasshopper? A grasshopper can jump 20 times its body-length in distance – this would be roughly equivalent to a 6 ft person jumping a distance of 120 ft (the current world record is ‘just’ 29.4 feet (8.95 m).

Weightlifting? Try the ant which can lift 10-50 times its own bodyweight.

The 100m sprint? One species of tiger beetle can run at a speed of 9 km/h (5.6 mph), which, relative to its body length, is about 22 times the speed of an Olympic sprinter.

But if the excitement of the Olympic Games all becomes too much and leaves you in need of a relaxing break, why not head to Denmark Farm for a summer holiday or short-break.

We still have pitches available on the Eco-campsite for most dates throughout August. While-away the hours watching the bees and hoverflies buzzing around in the meadow outside your tent door, or admire the butterflies and dragonflies sunning themselves by the lake.

If camping isn’t your thing, you can also stay in the Bunkhouse  (TV included, so you can still keep up with the Olympics!).

Don’t forget that our trails are open everyday too, so if you live locally you can also sprint over for a visit in between Olympic events. We also have a number of other events and courses coming up, from bats to pond dipping (could the water boatman be a contender for the 100m backstroke?).

And while you’re here, don’t forget to tell us if you see any wildlife which you think deserves to win a gold medal.