5 Fun Things to do in Woodlands, Parks, and Forests
Did you know that where-ever you are in the UK, you are always within 30 minutes drive of a woodland that’s open to the public? There is plenty to do in UK woodland that costs next to nothing and can even help the environment, such as joining a group to plant new trees.
At Treco, we provide biomass boilers which use wood fuel for cost-effective heating. But woodlands are great for so much more.
Here are our top 5 things that you can do in the woodlands to make use of such a valuable asset in the UK.
Going for a walk
The simplest and easiest thing to do and it helps burn off some of those calories. The more energetic among you can go cycling, jogging or even orienteering.
Check out the UK Forestry website and find your nearest local woodland. You’ll find details on the site about what young families can do. And for those going solo, there is information about the more demanding activities to do. How about archery?
Star spotting under the night sky
You don’t need to be Patrick Moore or have a whopping great telescope to see what stars are in the sky. Woodlands are great for star spotting as they are away from the light pollution and glare of the city town lights and traffic. Just use your eyes or take some hand-held binoculars and download a star and planet map from the Internet to get you going. One of the easiest stars to spot is the Big Dipper. Meteor showers and events are also one of the greatest natural shows on earth, and woodlands allow you a dark spot away from the light of cities and roads that makes for best viewing.
Testing your map and compass skills
Do it the good old fashioned way and take a map and compass and navigate your way from one end of the forest to the other. Don’t use that smart phone to help you, unless you really do get stuck! Take children to learn with you to help with events such as Ten Tors or the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition. And remember, tracks on the map may not be the same as those on the ground as environments change over time. This activity is great for testing your intuition and spatial awareness.
Wood-craft
For those that are a little bit more into “wood”. There are plenty of centres within managed woodland that offer crafting courses. Make simple products such as a bow out of Ash. You could even construct a book case, for those that take a shine to it!
Indoor, yet woods-related, activities
Being in the UK means you can’t rely on the weather much. When the weather isn’t great, try out somewhere like the Mary Rose museum. It’s a museum in Portsmouth where everything is made out of wood!
Our forest and woodland areas used to be thriving epicentres for industry and food production. Lets rediscover them and their heritage and thrive on the leisure and economic value they provide.
When visiting a woodland, remember to only leave footprints and take home any rubbish with you. With it you’ll have scenic photos as well as a few good memories!
Photo from Shutterstock, and post was graciously supported by Treco!
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