Wild Woodlands

By Alice Gall

One of the things I love about living in Perth is having the great outdoors right on our doorstep.  In a matter of minutes, you can segue from city centre shopping to rural rambling – I have more than once begun walking in town, only to end up gazing at fields of cows!  If you’re craving some fresh air and green space, Quarrymill Woodland Park is a gorgeous local spot to stretch your legs.  Flora and fauna abound, there are no less than 27 acres to explore, and don’t forget the amazing Macmillan Coffee Shop that’s open from April-October.

Earlier this year, my little boy James and I discovered ‘Wild Woodlands’.  This is part of the wider Growing up with Quarrymill project which is a partnership between RSPB Scotland and the Gannochy Trust.  It aims to engage and connect local communities, in particular children and young people along with their families and teachers, with the natural world at Quarrymill Woodland Park.

Wild Woodlands is a free, monthly event for pre-school children, starting with a walk into the woods, and encompassing all kinds of outdoor fun.  The group meets at the carpark next to the Old Parish Church in Scone; James and I hopped on a bus from South Street and were there in no time.  When I first heard about these nature walks for children I wasn’t convinced that James, only just two years old, would be able to manage.  Yes, he can walk, but like most toddlers, not in any particular direction or at any given speed.  He is, quite literally, a stop-and-smell-the-roses kind of child.  

But I was quickly reassured by our group leader, Miranda, who started us off at a lovely laid-back pace.  The paths are buggy-friendly, so the kids can always take the easy option and let you do all the work!  It’s also ideal if you want to bring along a younger sibling who hasn’t yet found their feet. 

Each month Miranda tells the children about the theme of their outing.  We enjoyed ‘Wiggly Worms’ in the summer, where James got his first peek through a magnifying glass.  For ‘Awesome Autumn’, picture an enormous heap of leaves, and a crowd of children running through them. 

At ‘Discover Dens’, we looked for animal dens and attempted to build our own.  And most recently, there was ‘Camouflage Capers’.  Miranda set the scene by showing the children pictures of camouflaged animals, and then, as we began walking, their interest was engaged by finding soft toy animals hidden alongside our path.

The route is always nice and short, just right for wee legs, and we end up sitting in a sheltered spot where Miranda reads a story and we can catch our breath.  In keeping with the ‘camouflage’ theme, we proceeded to crush some elderberries into organic face-paint, with the idea of making ourselves blend into our surroundings.  Needless to say, things got messy for children and adults alike, but there were giggles all round (I suspect my warpaint earned me a quizzical glance or two on the bus ride home!).  We then bent flexible branches into crowns, and searched for leaves, feathers and other natural treasures with which to bedeck ourselves. 

GALLERY

The children are encouraged to explore the woodland and use their sense of adventure to lead them to new discoveries.  It’s always a real wake-up call for me to see James bubbling over with excitement at the sight of a pine cone – at what age do we start taking such natural wonders for granted? Wild Woodlands is a great way to stimulate and nurture your child’s sense of delight in the animal and plant life around them.  The sessions are very much child-focused; if your budding David Attenborough uncovers a cool creepy-crawly, chances are we’ll all gather round to take a look.  Miranda is on hand to answer any questions and help identify whatever twig or tiny critter your child manages to unearth.  If, like James, your wee one decides to spend half the morning just jumping around in the mud, that’s fine too.

All this fresh air and activity helps the kids work up an appetite, so bring along a snack and there is ample time to sit and recharge.  Miranda always finishes with ‘Hello, Goodbye’ – an appropriate story to mark the end of a busy and sociable morning – before we take a relaxed meander back towards home.

James and I love our monthly trips to Quarrymill, and the next one will be on Thursday 21^st December.  The theme is ‘Winter Treats’, so pile on some warm layers and come and join us.  Remember to book your place in advance. 

Full details on future RSPB events at Quarrymill can be found here> or on the RSPB Tayside and Fife Facebook page. 

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