Enjoy the darker side of Grizedale Forest this half term
The Forestry Commission’s Grizedale Forest is set to embrace the darker autumn evenings between October and December with its first ‘Dark Grizedale’ season.
On offer will be a host of creative family events and activities all under the atmospheric forest canopy.
Dark fairytales, drawing in the dark, tree dressing and lantern walks are amongst the activities designed to brighten the dark days and fire up the imagination.
The Dark Grizedale season starts with Poisonous Plants and Terrifying Trees, an autumnal walk led by a Forestry Commission ranger that will explore the darker side of Mother Nature through fairytale, folklore and fact. The walk will take about 1.5 hours and costs £3.50.
During the October half term holiday from 26 October to 1 November there be a series of free Drawing in the Dark activities. From 11am to 3pm daily, families can join this free event and draw with ‘magic’ inks to see their creations come to life in the dark under ultra violet light. This event supports the 10th birthday of the national ‘Big Draw’ which encourages people to explore drawing and create art in new and adventurous ways.
On Sunday 15 November children will get a chance to create their own Ent. Ents are the human like trees from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings fantasy stories and were inspired talking trees that can be found in many of the world's folklores that were typically seen as guardians of the trees and protectors of our ancient lands against dark forces.
There is a £2 charge for the sessions which will run from 10.30am to 1pm and from 1.30pm to 4pm.
On Saturday 5 December Grizedale will celebrate Tree Dressing Day, a national day that highlights our responsibility for looking after trees and reminds us of their enormous cultural and environmental importance. The event starts at 11am and costs £2.
Children will get the chance to make Christmas decorations from natural materials, listen to tree tales, join a lantern walk and take part in dressing a special Grizedale tree. Families can bring a glass jar which they will transform into a decorative lantern to take on the lantern walk.
There will be further opportunities to make decorations, join a lantern walk and dress the tree on 6, 12 and 13 December.
Tania Crockett from the Forestry Commission at Grizedale says:
“We’re looking forward to our first Dark Grizedale season and hope the activities will inspire the whole family to get creative, engage with art in the natural environment and encourage them to enjoy the dark side of forests!”
During Dark Grizedale people will have their last chance to see the ‘Ghosts In The Wood’ exhibition by award winning artist Mike Smallcombe.
The exhibition includes twenty large scale, haunting photographs suspended among the trees in the middle of the forest. It is the Forestry Commission’s first national touring exhibition and runs until 6 November.
Grizedale has something for everyone with a wide range of walking trails, waymarked paths, forest roads, tracks and bridleways, plus superb views of Coniston Water, Windermere and the Grizedale Valley.
More information about Grizedale Forest and other Forestry Commission woodlands around North West England can be found at forestry.gov.uk/northwestengland.
Dark Grizedale Events:
Drawing in the Dark
Date: Sunday 25 October to Sunday 1 November
Time: 11am – 3pm
Cost: Free
Age: All ages
Meeting place: The Yan, Grizedale Centre
Booking required: No, just drop in. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Description: Draw with ‘magic’ inks and see your creations come to life in the dark under UV light. This event supports the 10th birthday of the national ‘Big Draw’ which encourages people to explore drawing and create art in new and adventurous ways.
Poisonous Plants and Terrifying Trees
Date: Sunday 11 October
Time: 11am and 2pm
Grade: Moderate
Duration: 1.5 hours
Cost: £3.50
Age: All ages
Meeting place: The Yan, Grizedale Centre
Booking required: Advisable
Description: An autumnal walk exploring the darker side of Mother Nature through fairytale, folklore and fact. Bring sturdy footwear and appropriate clothing.
‘Ent’ Heads
Date: Sunday 15 November
Time: 10.30am – 1pm and 1.30pm – 4pm
Duration: Varies depending on the nature of your creation.
Cost: £2.00
Age: All ages
Meeting place: The Yan, Grizedale Centre
Booking required: Just drop in. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Description: Create your own ‘Ent’! Ents are guardians of the trees and protect our ancient lands against dark forces. Materials provided.
Tree Dressing Day
Date: Saturday 5 December
Time: 11am – 4pm (lantern walk starts at 3pm)
Cost: £2.00
Age: All ages
Meeting place: The Yan, Grizedale Centre
Booking required: Just drop in. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Description: Take part in national tree dressing day. Hear tree tales, take part in a lantern walk and dress a special Grizedale tree. Please wear suitable outdoor clothing and footwear.
Light Up The Dark
Date: 6, 12 and 13 December
Time: 10.30am – 1pm and 1.30pm – 4pm. Lantern walk is at 3pm.
Cost: £1.00 per decoration
Age: All ages
Meeting place: The Yan, Grizedale Centre
Booking required: Just drop in. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Description: Make decorations from natural materials to take home or hang on the dressed tree in the forest. Bring a glass jar and transform it into a decorative lantern and join the lantern walk to the dressed forest tree for seasonal stories. Limited supply of jars available. Please wear suitable outdoor clothing and footwear.
