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Bright lights and bees at Blenheim

Helen Mark explores the parkland, farmland and ancient woodland of the Blenheim Palace estate near Woodstock in Oxfordshire.

In this edition of Open Country, Helen Mark explores the landscape at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. The 2000 acres of parkland were landscaped by Capability Brown, and are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The grounds are also home to a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and earlier this year a colony of rare bees was discovered in its ancient woodland - surviving descendants of indigenous honeybees which were previously thought to have been wiped out. There are also 12,000 acres of farmland, where a new project is underway to try and make the estate carbon neutral. As dusk falls, Helen winds her way though Blenheim's illuminated trail, where more than a million sparkling lights and lasers light up the winter landscape.

Produced by Emma Campbell

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24 minutes

Last on

Christmas Day 2021 06:07

Broadcasts

  • Thu 23 Dec 2021 15:00
  • Christmas Day 2021 06:07

Podcast