National Trust acquires Dorset ‘speed-dating’ caves for bats

Colonies mix annually at Winspit caves near Swanage, a hibernation site for rare greater horseshoe bats

Three caves hewn into the rocky coastline of Dorset that are the bat equivalent of a speed-dating site, attracting crowds of the flying mammals from as far as 40 miles away, have been acquired by the National Trust.

The bats gather at Winspit caves near Swanage in the late summer and early autumn, dart around the cliffs and, if all goes well, find a mate from a different colony.