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Hi there, you have successfully found Nix in Nature's blog, however this is now being updated via the main website, Nix in Nature.  All posts including newer and up to date posts can be found at Nix's News. Thanks for your visit :-).

Trees at Cobleland Campsite

A bit washed out at Cobleland

Cobleland had a wee bit of the old rain this weekend to help keep things lush but it was so heavy not even the midges could come out!  We still managed to do some face painting in the morning and make a couple of wands and rafts, although we couldn't race the rafts as the river was a bit high.

Imogen's Oak and Eilidh's & Keira's Hazel wands. The small one was Will's!

Lewis is making this fine craft with Will so will keep adding things to it throughout the Summer.  Lewis's Sister Abbie made 'Pink Polkadot' with Mum but they will have to race it next week too. Will made the small one - he's got a thing about 'small' at the moment? 

Wacky Forth Races

These races are getting bigger!

OK, from left (from pic above - vice versa below):
Morgan - SS Minecraft
Katie & Leah - LK The First
Jack & Josh - The Josh
Tommy - Tank Carrier
Charlie - Black Sail
Rosie - Big Raft
Daisy - The Good Daisy Ship (3rd Place)
Darah - Ninkinpoop IIII (2nd Place - always seems to be a good runner despite being re-designed every week)
Jasmine - Jewel
Grace - Grace for Race
Eva - Excellent Pirate Eva (1st Place)
Amy & James - Nine J
Cameron - Dark Hat
Will - Bunty
Sam - Speedy

I think I need to get some waders too to help catch all the rafts at the finish line!

 

You can never tell who might win - Eva's raft ended up a sorry mess by the end but was a clear winner!

Nostalgic Themed Week at Cobleland Campsite

After a busy week, we found ourselves having an even busier and fun weekend at Cobleland Campsite!  The Camping and Caravanning Club have been running a nostalgic themed week, so we added to our usual ranger activities programme 'Games & Traditions of Yesteryear.'
This included face painting, party games including: pass the parcel, musical statues/bumbs, Simon says, sports day races, willow weaving crafts with Tricia from Dragonfly Willow, who's session helped to raise money for the Bat Conservation Trust & Glendrick Roost, 'end of May'-pole dancing and tug of war - Team Pineapple beat team Strawberry!
The day ended with a Dusk Walk (where we saw loads of bats munching on midges) which finished at 10:30pm so it was a long fun filled day :-).

Jasmine & Darah show off their vampires and bunny faces

 

Lesley the Site Manager, me and ten other happy campers helped to plait the maypole. We didn't quite get as far as dancing around it, it was a massive achievement remembering to go the right way!

Bushcraft & Survival

As we had to cancel the session planned for Monday at Forest Hills we re-scheduled for today, thankfully it stayed dry!  We were joined by a lovely family, Dave, Jane 'Issac' (a popular author), daughter Ella (Goldfish amongst other entertaining nicknames) and friend 'hairy' Mike :-).

 Ella was flora mad, especially anything medicinal and everyone loved digging for pignut - well except for Mike as her said it was best to just go to Sainsbury's.

Will lights his favourite bit of kit at the moment - a fire tin made from recycled card and old ends of candles. It burns for ages and it's free!

Litter can be good if it's up-cycled! A shower and a hobo stove made from tin cans and an old lager tin.

Look at all that pignut - get digging (with the landowners permission of course)!

Dave the pignut digger, it was worth all of the effort!

Kids Bushcraft at Tigh Mor

Brilliant bushcraft session today. Young Alice, Sophie, Neil, Thomas and Emily all enjoyed the activity (especially the pig nut digging, wood sorrel lemonade and marsh mallows). Mum's and Dad's had Douglas Fir tea as their refreshment. Despite the wind we managed a group shelter/tarp too.

Wood Sorrel with heart shaped leaves and droopy white flower in the Spring. Don't eat/drink too much due to the oxalic acid in it and always check further if you have any medical conditions.

Sorrel Lemonade

• Gather about a handful of sorrel, add it to about 2 pints of boiling water and let it infuse.
• Leave to cool
• 'Sodastream it' optional!

Forest Hills Activities

Magick Wands

Great wands made in Merlin's cave/corridor at Forest Hills this bank holiday Monday.

From Left: Annabel's Hazel, Camille's Oak, Harry's Rowan, Joseph's Oak, Samuel's Oak (and mini wand!), Caiden's Rowan, Tierney's Silver Birch and Jacob's Hazel - big brother got a wand for his birthday too.  You guys went before I gave out your spell making scrolls, if you didn't get them at Reception visit www.nixinnature.co.uk for a copy. (Website launch later this week).

Bat Walk

The first bat walk of the season here went well too, loads of bats hunting above the pond.  We met a lovely family who we are later taking out for Bushcraft as it was rained off (although after we cancelled it, there was not a drop of rain - typical)! Dave made a great bat although he hugged his victims rather than eating them :-).