BLOG: Turn a High Weald Walk into an adventure this Spring!
Spring is the perfect time to explore the High Weald National Landscape, as ancient woodlands and vibrant hedgerows burst into bloom.
Walking is a wonderful way to get your family outside and spend some quality time together. The High Weald countryside is a natural playground and there’s plenty to feed young imaginations.
Visit our Walking page to discover a host of self-guided walks showcasing the best of this historic landscape, including buggy and toddler friendly routes.
Ahead of the Easter holidays, we’ve compiled five of our favourite ways to keep kids (and adults!) entertained outdoors, with links to handy activity guides and our own series of short Nature Nugget videos, created by our Education Officer, Rachel…
Have some fun and games in nature:
1. Go on a scavenger hunt:
Scavenger hunts are a great outdoor activity for all ages. Download the Woodland Trust’s ready-made hunts for seasonal plants and animals. Or make up your own themes and hunts – you could look for objects of a specific colour, or count how many different types of trees you can see.
Check out our ‘Spring Flowers’ Nature Nuggets video, and see if you can spot all the same wildflowers Rachel finds on a sunny High Weald bank.
2. Become a nature detective:
Our ‘Tracks and Trails’ Nature Nuggets video shows you how to look for signs of animals when you’re out on a walk in the High Weald. To learn how to spot animal hideaways, watch our Animal Homes episode.
Be sure not to disturb anyone’s nest or hidey-hole!
3. Get twiggy with trees:
Trees and woods are a distinctive feature of the High Weald. The region, covering parts of East Sussex, West Sussex, Kent and Surrey, is the most wooded part of England and much is classed as ancient woodland.
Check out our our Nature Nugget Video: ‘How to find your special tree’ for a fun activity. Just look up at the patterns the tree branches make in the sky, and find one that matches the lines on your hand – once you’ve found it, give it a hug!
Trees have lots of clues when it comes to identifying them; use the Woodland Trust’s Tree ID guidance and see what you can find
4. Go birdwatching
The High Weald has numerous nature reserves that are free to visit. They have a good path network and places to stop and watch wildlife. Find a nature reserve in the High Weald on our interactive map.
RSPB reserve Broadwater Warren is a great birdwatching site – a visit to this wildlife-rich mosaic of heathland and native woodland promises views across the heathland on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells. Watch for Dartford Warblers, Woodlark and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, or spend a quiet moment at the pond.
The RSPB website has a host of resources for fun learning activities that help nature on your doorstep >>
5. Stargazing and twilight trekking:
Walking at night gives you a chance for star-gazing, storytelling and spotting some of our precious wildlife. Even routes you know really well can seem like an adventure in the dark! A red light torch will help you find your way, and creates less light pollution than a while light.
Take advantage of the unusually dark skies in the High Weald to marvel at the twinkling stars with our Dark Skies activity sheet. See how many stars you can spot, learn the story of Orion and – when you get back home – see if you can create your own solar system out of objects you can find around the house.