Easter fun in The National Forest
A whole host of Easter events are taking place across The National Forest.
In the Easter Holidays there will be two Wildlife Watch drop-in sessions for families at Rosliston Forestry Centre. Between 2-4pm on Tuesday 6 April “Fantastic Frogs” is an opportunity to learn about the life cycle of a frog and make a mobile to take home. The following Tuesday 13 April there will be fun pond dipping to discover what lies beneath the surface of the flight pond. All equipment is provided. Wildlife Watch sessions also take place at the centre every Tuesday afternoon in half term and summer holidays.
Visitors to Rosliston Forestry Centre can embark on an Easter Egg Hunt on Monday 5 April. This kicks off a whole range of holiday fun, including drop-in sessions (2-4pm) to try out the following activities:
• Climbing wall and Bushcraft Day on 7 April
• Laser Combat on 8 April
• Archery on 12 April
Twycross Zoo’s new Visitor Welcome Centre “Himalaya” opens for Easter. This world-class building is a landmark for the East Midlands Region and a visitor attraction in itself. Enjoy a meal in the restaurant with views overlooking the Himalayan landscape themed Snow Leopard enclosure. The new visitor centre will host Himalaya - a Wildlife and Wilderness Watercolour Artist Exhibition from Friday 2 to Tuesday 6 April. And from Friday 2 to Monday 5 April the zoo will have its ‘Going Ape’ exhibition with activities and information on apes. Visitors will also be invited to join in the Easter Bunny Zoo Trail.
Conkers has a fortnight of family fun from Friday 2 to Sunday 18 April with Easter Egg orienteering hunts, ranger tours and lots more. Nick Spellman, the animal man, is back as are the dream ponies and circus workshops. For more information visit the website visitconkers.com. Based upon life in a British woodland and with more than one hundred indoor and outdoor activities themed around Forest life and the environment, families enjoy hours of fun at Conkers.
Easter is a fantastic time to visit Calke Abbey as it is lambing time. Visitors can see the young lambs close up and meet the wardens as they care for the flock. Children will love the Easter Trail, sponsored by Cadbury’s, running from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 April (11:30am–3.30pm), which leads to an Easter prize.
Swadlincote Ski and Snowboard Centre has Kids Easter Fun Activity Days from Friday 2 to Friday 16 April (11am-5pm). These include skiing or snowboard lessons, tobogganing, Sno-Tubing, lunch, certificate and badge for just £25.50. Pre-booking is essential for these popular sessions.
The centre will also be hosting an Easter Extravaganza from Friday 2 to Monday 5 April where visitors can have a half hour ski or snowboard taster lesson for just £5, toboggan for just £1 per ride, Sno-Tubing for £2 per 15 minute session or ski or snowboard open practice just £5 per hour. Other events include a family quiz night on Thursday 15 April with fantastic ski centre prizes. There will then be a Freestyle Competition on Saturday 24 April with skiers and boarders welcome and excellent live bands.
As well as these special Easter activities, The National Forest contains a wealth of things to do and see throughout the whole year. For more information on attractions, activities, events and places to stay in and around The National Forest, the 2010 visitor guides to the Forest and Beyond are bursting with great ideas. These are available from Tourist Information Centres or from the National Forest Company.
The National Forest spans more than 200 square miles across parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire and is one of England’s most ambitious environmental projects – to create a new Forest for the nation. Already more than seven and a half million trees have been planted in The National Forest, which offers more than 700 miles of paths to explore in over 400 woodlands. The gentle undulating landscape is perfect for walking, cycling and horse-riding. And through the creation of new habitats, The National Forest is an ideal location for bird and wildlife watching.
For further information, visit: nationalforest.org