England's forests: your 2013 summer of forest fun
NORTH OF ENGLAND
Whinlatter
4 Aug
Dawn Osprey Walk and Breakfast: watch the Bassenthwaite ospreys in the company of an expert.
7 Aug
National Play Day: woodland adventures, with den building.
21 Aug
Go Batty: to mark European bat weekend, make a bat box and explore their forest home.
Hamsterley
1 Aug
Den Building: a family session with bushcraft expert and naturalist Bruce Ferguson, who also runs the following sessions:
12 Aug
Forest Adventure: cooking, painting, tracking and shelter building.
18 Aug
Nature Detectives: learn to spot the tracks, trails and other signs of secretive forest wildlife.
Kielder
30 July
Nature Detectives (as above).
6 Aug
Working Forest: a minibus tour going behind the scenes in one of Europe's largest planted forests.
Plus Den Building (as above).
20 Aug
Help! I'm a Not a Celebrity … Your small aircraft has crashed in a forest hundreds of miles from civilisation. Can you survive? With Bruce Ferguson; ages 8+.
26 Aug
Forest Adventure (as above).
Grizedale
7 & 21 Aug
Focus on Feathers: bird facts, fun and games plus a self-led trail, in conjunction with the RSPB.
Until 1 Sept
Environmental Photographer of the Year exhibition (touring).
13 Aug
Watercolour Summer School: three-day Impressions of Landscape course by Brewery Arts Centre
17 Aug
Rusland Show: the traditional Lakeland Show with Forestry Commission stand.
Dalby
Through Aug
Badger Watching: see these nocturnal creatures in their natural environment. Booking essential.
4 Aug
Solar Observation: join Scarborough and Ryedale Astronomical Society as they study the sun up-close.
CENTRAL
Sherwood Pines
2 Aug
Bushcraft for Families: a ranger-led day of shelter building, fire-lighting and forest craft.
3 Aug
Arrow making: learn to make a wooden-shafted arrow, then shoot it later in the day!
6–27 Aug (Tuesdays)
Summer Holiday Fun: rangers offer children tips on pond dipping and shelter building.
9–10 Aug
Overnight Bushcraft for Families: can you survive a night in the woods? The rangers will help you.
22 Aug
Away with the Fairies, Goblins and Trolls: storyteller Gordon the Toad leads a mythical adventure through the woods.
Cannock Chase
14 Aug
Fantastic Fairy Day: bring your wings for a host of activities including a self-led fairy trail.
31 July–28 Aug (Wednesdays)
Ranger-led pond dipping and shelter building activities.
Delamere
1, 5, 12, 23, 29 Aug
Minibeast Hunt: get up close to the mini-creatures that are vital to a forest's survival.
29-31 July, 6-8, 14-16, 20-22 Aug
Forest Holiday Club: bushcraft skills, forest art and fun games.
31 July–21 Aug (Wednesdays)
Bat Walk Wednesday: head into the forest to find bats using sonar detectors. Suitable for families.
4 Aug
Butterfly Walk: head up Old Pale, one of the best places in Cheshire to see butterflies. Best for adults.
12 Aug
Badger Watch: a night-time outing to see Britain's largest nocturnal mammal. Over 12s only.
Fineshade Wood
2, 16, 30 Aug
Mums and Tots Cycle Ride: regular rides organised by Fineshade cycling.
WEST
Forest of Dean
Until Jan 2015
Sky Rainforest Rescue Trail (Beechenhurst): listen to the wildlife of a rainforest as you learn about their unique ecosystems.
Westonbirt: National Arboretum
30 July–1 Aug
Forest Folk: the arboretum fills with mysterious characters as children use natural materials to create woodland goblins.
6-8 Aug
Tree Potions: discover treatments for ailments including sunburn; make your own astronaut cream!
13-15 Aug
Trees for Time Travellers: find out how Westonbirt was created and learn about some of its most daring plant hunters.
23-26 Aug
Wooden Wonders: rethink how wood contributes to our daily lives, then do some woodworking.
24-26 Aug
Treefest: Westonbirt's signature summer event, celebrating all things trees and nature.
Wyre
Photograph: Isobel Cameron
27–28 July
Cherry Festival (Bewdley Museum): traditional summer celebration of an ancient festival, with music, activities and stalls.
29 July–2 Aug
Living Wild Week: a programme of bushcraft activities, biking, map reading, whittling and cooking, with an option to sleep in the forest on the last night. Ages 11-14.
29–31 July
Wild in Wyre: three days of adventure in the forest, including building shelters, camp cookery, making bows and arrows. £70 per child, booking required. Ages 8-11.
29 July–30 Aug (not weekends)
Discovery Centre Open Day: view new artworks, explore hands-on displays, watch birds in the hide, and discover the origins of Earth with the Geological Time Trail.
4 Aug, 1 Sept
Bewdley Local Produce Market: a range of fine foods and crafts. Free entry: www.bewdley.org.uk
10 Aug
Basket Making: learn to make your first basket. £45, including materials, booking required: email info@wyreclt.org.
13 Aug
Forest Detective Trail: follow a guided route looking for signs of animal life. £3 per child, who must be accompanied by an adult.
22 Aug
Forest Fairy Trail: are there fairies in the forest? Follow a trail, look for their homes, do craft activities. £3 per accompanied child.
30 Aug
Dusk Walk for Families: explore the forest as night falls. Wear appropriate clothing and bring a torch. £6 per person, £20 per family of four; booking essential. Ages seven and over.
SOUTH
Alice Holt
Until 1 Sept
Superworm Trail: inspired by Julia Donaldson's Superworm storybook, the Forestry Commission has created a trail through the forest for children. £2, from Cafe on the Green. Activity packs 50p.
27 July
Family Bushcraft Day: from ancient fire lighting to building a hunting shelter, seasonal crafts to open-fire cooking, feel at home in the wildest woods. All ages: adults £25, under-16s £15, under-3s free. Minimum one adult per group. www.fieldfarmproject.com
31 July
Treasure Island Drama Workshop (pictured right): join the Cambridge Touring Theatre Company cast in the forest classroom for a pre-show workshop. Ages 5-10, £3 per child.
Treasure Island Open-air Performance: two young heroes, Jim and Ruth, find a treasure map and set sail for adventure in this open-air show. (You could also have a picnic beforehand.) Adults £12, children £9, family ticket £38. www.farnhammaltings.com, cambridgetouringtheatre.co.uk
1, 20 Aug
Superworm Adventure Day: super-games and super-crafts on a super-wormy, mini-beasty theme.Ages 3-7, £6 per child.
5–16 Aug
Wild Learning Holiday Club Adventure Camp: from a secret camp in the woods, try den building, fire making, tracking, mud sculptures, environmental art, whittling, forest games, tree climbing and stream dipping. Ages 5+, £37.50 per day per child. www.wild-learning.net
6 Aug
Float Your Boat: weave a willow raft, build a bark-boat or create a cork canoe. Experiment with natural tree products to see what floats. Ages 5+, £5 per child.
8, 12 Aug
Den Building: From natural shelter to green hideaway, learn how to build in small teams, with dens rated for structure, style and waterproofing. Ages 8+, £8 per child.
12 Aug
Lazy Summer Afternoon Pond Dipping: discover tiny watery wonders under the surface. Equipment and knowhow provided; just turn up at the pond by the cafe. Ages 6+, 50p per child.
13 Aug
Family Orienteering Day: test out your combined map-reading skills on the orienteering course. Rangers will be on hand to offer tips, and there are prizes. Not suitable for buggies or wheelchairs.
Ages 5+, £5 per group.
22 Aug
Caterpillar Crafts: a chance for young people with a disability or additional needs, and their families, to have a fun day out in the woods. For details go to www.caterpillar-crafts.com or call Clair on 07830 256619.
27 Aug
Mini Beasts and Clay Critters: younger children can search for centipedes, millipedes, beetles, spiders and worms using magnifying glasses, bug pots, leaf shaking, log lifting and stone turning. Kids can even make their own mini beast to take home. Ages under-7, £4 per child.
27 Aug
Family Den Build: an Alice Holt ranger will demonstrate how to build a weatherproof shelter in the woods. Small groups can join together to create dens; larger groups can aim to build a full-on mansion. Ages 7+, £6 per child, free for adults.
31 Aug
Forest Survival Day: join ranger Nigel for some adventurous fun. Ages 11-14, £18 per child. Bring a packed lunch.
New Forest
14 Aug
Walk Through Time: a four-mile walk to demonstate how the forest has changed over many millennia, from stone age to second world war. £5 per adult, £2 per child; booking required.
EAST
High Lodge at Thetford
6 Aug
Make a Purse: using foam and threads, learn to sew together your own purse and decorate it. Ages 4+.
9 Aug
Make a Bookmark: this time using plastic canvas and foam, have fun creating imaginative bookmarks. Sew on canvas or weave with ribbons. Ages 4+.
13 Aug
Learn to Finger Knit: children can come along and learn how to finger knit and also how to use a knitting doll. Ages 5+.
16 Aug
Friendship Bracelet Making: turn simple knots into some wonderful coloured bracelets. Ages 5+.
20 Aug
Make a Notebook: all the fun of making and designing your own writing book. Ages 3+.
23 Aug
Mask Making: fashion a mask and then decorate it by scratching, colouring in or decorating with stickers. Ages 3+.
27 Aug
Card Making: ideas for reusing old cards as well as how to make beautiful new ones. Ages 3+.
Forest Xplorer
Whether you're attempting to locate your nearest Forestry Commission woodland or identify the giant tree in front of you on a walk, the Forest Xplorer mobile app should help you make the most of your forest forays. For details, see www.forestry.gov.uk/mobileapp
Forest Live
For more than a decade now, the birdsong of the English forest has (from time to time) been accompanied by music of a human kind, courtesy of the annual series of Forest Live concerts. Since 2001, when Jools Holland and the Levellers played four Forestry Commission sites, a glittering array of pop talent – from Pulp to Plan B – has taken to the trees each summer.
The number of forest venues is now up to seven, with the National Arboretum at Westonbirt, Delamere Forest and Cannock Chase added to the original four venues: Sherwood Pines, Dalby Forest, Bedgebury Pinetum and High Lodge at Thetford Forest.
This year's sell-out series, headlined by Blondie, Paul Weller and Paloma Faith, underlined the Forestry Commission's role as a major promoter of summer concerts in unique, natural settings.
www.forestry.gov.uk/music