autumn adventures for all Ah, I was so sad not to be able to share the spring woods with everyone this year. One good thing that seems to have emerged from our enforced home time is hearing how so many people took more notice of the wildlife on their doorstep. Back in April I devised a guide to the birds I could hear from my garden in Eastbourne, and I also added tags to trees on a popular woodland walk to help people learn the trees they walked past. I'd like to continue to help people learn more about their local wildlife, so in addition to the few events I can squeeze in, I'm offering personalised guided walks for families, groups, or even individuals. I can either come to your favourite local walk or I can suggest a nearby meeting point, where I'll help you learn plants, birds, bugs, signs of mammals, landscape history and so on. We can spend up to an hour and half exploring, and you'll take home some tools to help you remember what you've learned. £30 per group of up to 12 people - just email me to book - can be term time days, holidays, evenings or weekends. EVENTS THIS AUTUMN AND WINTER please email to book I'm still hoping to add extra events at Abbots Wood, but at the time of writing my work permit has not been issued, so more on this soon. I'm still on the lookout for alternative places to work - a small patch of woodland or scrub would do! Let me know if you think of anywhere.... Zog and the bonfire Sunday 8 November 10.30-12 £9 per child aged 3+ Adults free Act out the story of the young dragon in the woods. Find the treasure! Breathe out fire to light the camp fire and cook the treasure. Now that you've been shown, be a dragon on your own! Autumn Camp Sunday 8 November 1.30-3.30pm £12 per child aged 6+ Adults free Build a shelter to keep out the cold, make your own little fire. Split logs to make a plate, toast muffins, add mushrooms if you like, roast some chestnuts and popcorn and celebrate with an autumn feast. Stick Man Sunday 6 & 20 December 10.30-12noon £9 per child aged 3+ Adults free Tell the story of the lost stick in the winter woods, collect twigs for the fire and toast a crumpet and make hot chocolate before making your own stick man to take home. Wreath workshop Sunday 6 December 2-4pm £10 per person aged 6 to adult Family workshop around the fire, nibbling mince pies and ginger biscuits while creating a beautiful wreath and other little Christmassy decorations. Hot drinks and snacks for all. Midwinter magic Sunday 20 December 2-4pm £12 per child aged 4+ and £6 per adult Celebrate the turning of the year. Make your own winter elf to look after the animals in the cold times. Enjoy mulled apple juice, mince pies and ginger biscuits by the midwinter fire. Coming up in 2021 - Winter Camp, Easter Bunnies, Firecraft, Pirates.... All these events take place in a little private wood at Folkington near EASTBOURNE. To book, please email
[email protected] WOODLAND PARTIES There is just one slot before Christmas available for birthday parties , but I will be publishing 2021 dates soon. Don't forget you can book a party slot just for grown ups, if you want to try out new campfire or craft skills, or just potter in the woods with friends and a glass of something. See www.cherrywoodadventures.co.uk/parties for details. Parties cost from £130 for an hour and a half for up to 12 children. Stop Press! Philippa Vine of the Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen and I are working on some "Woodland Feast" lunches. These include an themed exploration of the Wood, such as tree identification and chestnut collection and roasting, followed by a gorgeous lunch surrounded by trees in the Bluebell Wood, Arlington. More soon! Today's garden harvest of rowan berries, to make that jewel-like jelly bringing summer warmth to winter meals. I'll bring some to the Autumn Camp.... Although the recent dew and underlying chill to the clear sunny days says that autumn is round the corner, I feel energised again, a new term feeling, time to get going. This year's situation has underlined how valuable, no, essential, the wild places are to our well-being, our connection to the world and each other. I look forward to enabling more people than ever to enjoy these experiences, and keep a bit of Sussex in their hearts. See you in the woods! Sarah Visit THE WEBSite www.cherrywoodadventures.co.uk 07887 556336 www.facebook.com/cherrywoodadventures
