Scavenger Hunt in the Forest

** Warning - Too many photos.  Warning - Too many photos. **

We have had a wonderful Sunday of family fun.  Donning wellybobs and waterproofs we dared to venture outside into the arms of mother nature and embrace the beauty around us.  

In the rain.

 

I am so glad we didn't let the weather put us off, we had so much fun!

Before we set off, I printed out a scavenger hunt of sorts for the children to do.  I find that if their minds are occupied by actually looking for things, it really heightens their awareness of their surroundings.  Aren't we all guilty of just strolling on by, completely immune to the wondrous nature around us?  We are all often too eager to take the time and really look.  We miss the creatures that are hiding, the spider's webs that being constructed, the various natural foods in the offering, the changing colours through the transforming of the seasons - nature offers us so much to amaze, so much beauty, so much life.

As soon as we arrived at the car park to the forest, we were buzzing.  We were all in such wonderful moods, I don't think anything could have dampened our spirits - although at times the rain showers gave it a pretty darn good try!

We walked down lanes and trekked through tracks, bearing witness to such stunning scenery that filled our hearts with joy and put a spring in our steps.

Initially we glanced at the scavenger sheet I had produced, but we soon got far too carried away exploring and forgot to keep checking what to look for - just as I had hoped.

Together we searched for fungi, and found a huge assortment...

 

 

Tiegan and Chelsea ensured they were always warm and cosy, both wrapped under the cover of their "teddy" hats...

 

 

Callum thoroughly enjoyed climbing and exploring, often running ahead to find things first...

 

 

 but Tiegan wasn't to be outdone!

 



 

 Of course, the old "I is boy, boy must have stick" thing applied as much as ever today....

 

 

 Just what is it about boys and sticks?! :)

 Of course, puddles were there to be jumped in.  I'm so glad we were able to restock our wellybob supply at Asda on the way.

 

 

 We all enjoyed scouring the forest looking for hidden man-made treasures such as this carved snake...

 

 and these very helpful trail signs...

 

Of course, walking for hours is such tiring work, and we were very happy to come across seating areas...

 

 

 even my gorgeous husband tried one for size...

   

 and beautiful Chelsea couldn't resist trying two...

 

 

 We were presented with a couple of firsts, including (ahem), deer poop....

You can imagine my teenagers response to me taking this picture.  Something along the lines of "Urgh! Mum! Why??! Urgh!!"

   

 and tree sap... 

  

we also saw old hedgerow favourites such as blackberries...

   

I loved looking at all the different tree varieties, and the shapely twists and knots that are created over the years...

   

Such a wonderful family day, one that I shall look back on with many happy memories bursting within the walls of my heart. Here is a family picture (with Taisia and I behind the camera)... 

 

 and a picture that Lee (husband) took with his mobile phone, so we aren't left out...

   

Dear Taisia looks tired and fed up in that picture, but actually she was just being bloomin' nosy and wouldn't oblige with a look at the camera! She didn't fall asleep until we were almost at the car, about an hour and a half after this picture was taken.

I just have one more photograph to share with you (are you still with me?) This is our little hedgie garden lodger, eating hedgehog food from the plate under cover of darkness last night. He/she is fed nightly, with a mixture of tinned cat food (meat variety, not fish), and specialist hedgehog food which comes in a dried biscuit form with scatterings of fruits.

   

 We love having such a prickly resident sharing our world with us. 

Thank you for sharing my little bubble of life on the web. If you have made it down this far you deserve to make yourself a cuppa!