Yesterday I took my two daughters on an impromptu woodland adventure. Pictured below is Izzy, my youngest child, making the most of a tree stump we came across.
It was the perfect day for such a stroll. The sun was shining and the surrounding fields and tress all seemed to be so alive. The fields were a mass of different greens, whites, yellows and blues, full of fast-growing plants making the most of the gorgeous sunshine.
I wouldn’t normally be able to take Helen, my seven year old on such a trip during the week. Yesterday was an inset day so she wasn’t at school. Both kids had asked to go to soft play which, considering the weather, I reluctantly agreed with. I made it a condition that if we went to soft play for an hour or so, we would spend some time outside afterwards.
On the way home I took a diversion from the usual route and found a forest with public access. I let the kids go wild and they were climbing over tree stumps, clambering over a felled tree, climbing the trees themselves and trying to identify the different leaves.
It turned out this particular forest was used as an ammunition dump during World War II. It was bombed on a couple of occasions and we found a pond in one spot with no obvious water source. Could this have been a crater left by one of the bombs? Who knows! It wasn’t particularly photogenic so I don’t bother taking a picture.
The three of us had great fun. We’ve vowed to return as soon as we can with Mrs Adams so she too can enjoy the forest and all it has to offer.
I’ve linked this image to the #CountryKids linky hosted by the Coombe Mill blog. Click on the badge below to visit the linky and see what outside fun other bloggers have been getting up to.
19 thoughts on “A woodland adventure”
So interesting to read about the forest being used as an ammunition dump during WWII – I love it when there’s a bit of history attached to somewhere and perhaps that pond was the result of a bomb crater. How lovely to be able to enjoy some outdoor fun with Helen during the week and I love the photo of Izzy sitting on the tree stump. It sounds like the girls had a lovely time exploring 🙂
They had the most amazing time exploring. It was such good fun.
impromptu woodland adventures sound the best and what a gorgeous photo #countrykids
Thanks Karen. It was a fantastic adventure. So good, we went again yesterday!
What a lovely find and far more preferable to the hell that is soft-play so well done on surviving that too. We love going on a good woodland rampage, I would say walk but with my two it is no genteel walk! 🙂 #countrykids
Yeah, rampage might be a good choice of words! I found these owods completely by accident but they are awesome. We’ll be regular visitors.
I love the trade off for the soft play. I really dislike those big indoor barns, but I know how popular they are. My kids always jumped at a chance to spend time in them and like you I was keen to find a trade off. Sounds like your bargaining worked a treat and the girls still had plenty of energy left for the forest. It is such a pretty time of year in the British woodlands, I hope you do get to return with Mrs Adams too. thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
As it happens, we returned to the woods yesterday and Mrs Adams loved it! I can’t say soft play is my first choice, but it has its uses.
Always lovely to get outdoors and have fun in the fresh air. I bet the kids enjoyed it more than the soft play. #CountryKids
They wouldn’t admit it, but yes, they enjoyed the wood more than soft play.
I’m trying hard to encourage outside activities when the weather is good, although this generally seems to necessitate a playground of some description. I’ve managed to avoid soft play for a while but that’s only due to a handy clutch of alternative activities around. It’s an ongoing project of mine to instil an appreciation of woodland with Tilly. There’s a bit of work on getting her to see the play opportunity and she finds them spooky at times but they can be a great space for exploration. Although unprepossessing, I’m always amazed how nearly every wood has had a colourful history. Near us there’s been the hideout of a notorious highwayman, WWI practice trenches and a Polish soldier camp, to name but three.
I hadn’t thought of the stories behind woods before, but you’re right. If I think about the woodland I am familiar with, it all has some history to it! I have to say, I am all about outdoor play. If I’m honest, at the expense of arts and crafts which I am not very good at! Good luck getting Tilly to appreciate woodland.
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That smile is what kids outside is all about!
My son is so addicted with gadgets and so I try hard to drag him out. I think we are a wee bit successful judging from the fact that I need to buy him a new shoe because he is using them as break when he is biking and scootering!
Lovely capture =)
#countrykids
It sounds like you found natures version of the Soft Play area. I used to dislike taking our girls to those places too, especially in good weather. The forest sounds perfect and how fascinating that it was used in that way during the war X
I hadn’t thought of it as ‘nature’s soft play area’ but I think you are right! What a great way to describe the forest.
Sometimes its the impromptu finds are the best. We have some woods near us – Wendover Woods – which have become a firm favourite with us. It’s the simple things like climbing trees and falling over tree roots which keep us going back!
Glad you’ve found a new favourite wood & keep climbing those trees!
#Countrykids
Well Tracey, those woods were foreign to us a week ago and we’ve been three times now! I think they are firmly on the map and we’ll be regular visitors.
It really is often the impromptu adventures that turn out to be the most fun isn’t it?! That smile says it all really 🙂 Being in the woods is one of our favourite things to do, a great way to spend a sunny afternoon x