Discovering Fungi!

(c) John Leach

(c) John Leach

For one whole day, on Saturday 2nd November, the National Trust’s Longshaw Estate in the Peak District will be devoted to its magical world of fungi! A variety of fungi-themed activities for all ages can be enjoyed, including walks and trails and hands-on crafts and displays, based at the Moorland Discovery Centre from 10:30am – 3:30pm.

Longshaw is famous for its beautiful and rare fungi.  With at least 600 different species recorded which range from the majestic to the downright weird, there’s the chance to spot all kinds of wonderful mushrooms, including the bright and colourful waxcaps, which thrive on the Longshaw meadows.

Self-led fungi-spotting trails will allow families to explore the wonders of Longshaw freely, whilst guided walks by the experts (the fun-guys themselves!) will provide fascinating insights and information about the world of fungi for curious minds. Hands-on crafts activities will bring create a new arty connection with fungi, all set to the backdrop of colourful displays. 

The National Trust’s Visitor Experience Officer, Jenny Gerrans, says: “Our Discovering Fungi day is a great chance for people at all levels of learning to find out more about these incredible life-forms!  Everyone is welcome to join in and see what they can spot at this peak time of the year for fungi.  It is also a chance for us to ask people to please treat fungi with care and not to pick them but to leave them in their place to spread their spores and so that other visitors can benefit from seeing them too.”

Tickets: All £3, with no booking required.

The Moorland Discovery Centre is a short walk down into the woods near the Foxhouse pub on the Longshaw Estate, S11 7TZ.
Bus service: 272 from Castleton; 65, 214 & 272 from Sheffield. Car parking available.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/longshaw

Our autumn events in the Peak District

Half term is nearly here and we’re getting inspired by our spooky bats and other nocturnal animals as well as weird and wonderful fungi and autumn colours…  At Longshaw and Ilam Park you can pick up a trail over half term for just £1 and you’ll be rewarded with a Hallowe’en themed treat at the café when you’ve finished.

Hallowe’en Family Trails    

Longshaw, near Hathersage

Sat 26 Oct – Sun 3 Nov, 10.30am-3.30pm

Pick up a trail sheet from the shop and spot the spooky signs as you find your way around the haunted Longshaw. Wear wellies!  £1

Spooky Fun and Autumn Art

Longshaw, near Hathersage

Mon 27 Oct – Fri 1 Nov, 10.30 – 3.30pm

Drop-in at the Moorland Discovery Centre for autumn crafts & spooky activities. £2 activities 

Spooky Halloween Trail     

Ilam Park, White Peak

Sat 26 Oct - Sun 3 Nov, 11am-4pm

Take the spooky trail through the Ilam Park and discover what lives in the woods. Complete challenges and answer clues along the way. Suitable for all the family. £1 per trail leaflet

Discovering Fungi

Longshaw, near Hathersage

Sat 2 Nov, 10.30am-3.30pm

A day of fungi themed activities for all ages, including short walks discovering Longshaw’s fungi along the way, some hands-on craft activities and displays at the Moorland Discovery Centre. Drop in throughout the day.  Wear wellies!  £3

Have a go at Hedge-Laying

Dark Peak, Peak District

Sat 2 Nov, 9.30am-3.30pm

Have a go at the traditional countryside craft of hedge-laying. Learn the basic techniques of laying hedges with National Trust Rangers. £30 B

Tales & Tunes at the Penny Pot

Penny Pot Café, Edale

Fri 22 Nov, 7.30pm-10.30pm

An evening of intriguing tales from Raymond Greenoaken, live folk music courtesy of local trio Dogwood Rose, and a delicious and hearty meal in the Penny Pot Café.  Bring your own bottle. £10 B

Christmas Wreath Making Workshops

Longshaw, near Hathersage

Sat 23 Nov, 10.30am-3.00pm

Ilam Park, White Peak

Sat 30 Nov, 10.30am – 3.00pm

Make a beautiful traditional wreath with our expert at the Moorland Discovery Centre. £20 B

We have regular drop-in walks at Ilam Park (Fridays) and Longshaw (Wednesdays & Sundays) - all starting at 11am and meeting outside the shop/ visitor centre, and free to join in!

B   =  Booking is essential                  

Call 0844 249 1895 to book events (unless shown otherwise) or call 01433 670368 for information

         

Visit our website to book & for information:

Longshaw:  http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/longshaw

Dark Peak including Penny Pot:  http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dark-peak

Ilam Park, Dovedale & Ecton:  http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/white-peak

We are supporting Project Wild Thing, a feature-length documentary that takes a funny and revealing look at how and why kids have lost touch with nature. Look out for Project Wild Thing in picture house cinemas from 25 October.  More about Project Wild Thing and The Wild Network

Our fantastic Longshaw and Eastern Moors Explorers family club meets once a month, on a Saturday or Sunday (usually 10am – 12) to investigate the wildlife and wonders of Longshaw and the surrounding area, and there are some spaces available for new families (with children aged 6 +) to join the group. If you would like to find out more about how to join the group please email me directly at jenny.gerrans@nationaltrust.org.uk

Through hell on 2 wheels: National Trust Hidden Peak Sportive 2013

Through hell on 2 wheels: National Trust Hidden Peak Sportive 2013: On Sunday I went and took part in the National Trust "Hidden Peak" Sportive Starting and finishing from the impressive Lady Manner...

4forRed4 Peak District Challenge

4forRed4 Peak District Challenge

RAF Test Pilots and Fast Jet Navigators are taking part in an exciting
teamwork challenge for young people. 4forRed4 is a high profile
fundraising event for the Jon Egging Trust, which was set up to honour
RAF Red Arrow’s Pilot Jon Egging (Red 4) who tragically died two years
ago at the Bournemouth Airshow.
 
4forRed4 demonstrates the ethos of the Jon Egging Trust Blue Skies Programme:
• Inspiration
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Widening Horizons
• Helping young people be the best they can be.

On the 15th October 2013 four teams of young people will be part of an expedition
navigating four separate routes up Kinder Scout in the Peak District. Each team will
include a qualified mountain leader and and an inspirational individual. These include a
Test Pilot from the Empire Test Pilot School at Boscombe Down, an ex Red Arrow, and
both male and female Fast Jet Navigators.

The Trust has developed an exciting and unique youth engagement programme – Blue
Skies – which provides new opportunities to help disadvantaged young people achieve
their full potential. In the past two years we have given young people teamwork and
leadership experiences varying from a day with the Red Arrows, to digging up bones on
Salisbury plain with Wessex Archaeology. The Blue Skies Programme is now established
in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Dorset, providing young people with new opportunities to help
them be the best they can be. Emma Egging, founder of the charity says “Although we
are a small charity we have big ambitions. By 2016 we will be established
nationwide, operating in seven different counties and positively affecting the lives
of 400 young people each year. We are asking people to sponsor events like
4forRed4 to ensure that Jon Egging’s legacy of inspiring and achieving lives on
through his Trust.”
 
The participating schools in 4forRed4 are:
• Priory Witham Academy, Lincoln, Lincolnshire
•Downham Market Academy, Downham Market, Norfolk
•Glenmoor and Winton School, Bournemouth, Dorset

For more information please contact:
Su Ingle - info@suingle.co.uk Tel: 07789 430642
website: www.joneggingtrust.com
 
Registered Charity in England and Wales 1148180

Peak District Bunkhouses

This is the current weekend availability (at 14 October 2013), please note dates do get booked quickly so it’s advised to book now to avoid disappointment. To check weekday dates please get in touch.

Ilam Bunkhouse

2013 13-15, 20-22 December

Ilam Bunkhouse - living area

2014 All in January and February

March: 28-2, 7-9, 21-23, 28-30

April: 4-6, 18-21

May: 2-5, 16-18, 23-26, 30-1 June

June: 6-8, 13-15, 20-22

July: 11-13, 18-20, 25-27

August: 1-3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-25, 29-31

September: 5-7, 12-14, 19-21

October: 17-19, 24-26

November 7-9, 14-16, 21-23, 28-30

All in December 

Prices & facilities for Ilam

Dalehead Bunkhouse - living area

Dalehead Bunkhouse

2014 All in January & February

March: 28-2, 14-16, 21-23, 28-30

April: 11-13

May: 30-1 June

June: 6-8

July: none

August: 29-31

September: none

October: 17-19

November: 7-9, 14-16, 21-23, 28-30

December: 5-7, 19-21, 31-4 Jan

Prices & facilities for Dalehead

Escapes and Photography: Dovedale and Thorpe Cloud

This is a lovely blog about walking in Dovedale by JanaRuzena Photography

Escapes and Photography: Dovedale and Thorpe Cloud: Dovedale is a beautiful area on the southern part of the Peak District. It is a valley with the river Dove running through it for about ...

Reaching the summit - Kinder Jack

‘Kinder Jack’ made the summit

Thursday 10 October 2013: Friends help Jack Thompson to the top of Kinder Scout

Keen walker and mountaineer Jack Thompson (89) from Dronfield had his greatest wish fulfilled on Thursday 10 October when he was helped to the top of his favourite peak, Kinder Scout, by fellow walkers and Rangers from the National Trust.  

Mr Thompson loves Kinder. He was a regular rambler with the St John’s Church Dronfield walking group until health problems, age and limited mobility meant he had to stop. He asked his friends, who nick-name him ‘Kinder Jack’, to arrange a visit before he reaches his 90^th birthday next February. The National Trust agreed to help but recommended an autumn trip to avoid potentially hazardous winter conditions.

National Trust Rangers for Kinder and Edale Mark Leah and Myles Brazil have volunteered their time to make Jack’s wish to stand on Kinder again come true. They drove the small walking party in a Landrover at 11am from Hayfield to Edale Cross and then accompanied them the short distance on foot to Kinder Low.

Joining Jack on this special occasion were members of the St John’s Church walking group Christine and Brian Sleath, David Grainger and Wendy Hudson. Also in the party, and supplying the birthday cake, was  Cynthia Ramsden from Holmesfield who climbed Mont Blanc with Jack in August 1999. 

Happy 90th Birthday Jack!

Secret Dovedale Walk

On Sunday 6^th October we took a Secret Walk through Dovedale as part of the Great British Walk.

Starting at Milldale we crossed over Viators Bridge then heard about the history of fishing in the dale from local expert Tony Bridgedd, then walked along the valley beside the river Dove. The children ticked off ‘make a grass trumpet’ on the 50 Things list and then we stopped by Ravenstor, where geologist Mike Allen showed the children and adults where to look for fossils, the remains of the marine environment that existed 350 million years ago! That ticked off another on the 50 Things list, ‘hunt for fossils and bones’. Simon the Ranger pointed out some dippers on the river, before our exploration into Dove Holes – caves created by water a long time ago. Then it was up hill, through nettles, over stones and past trees and fungi, up to the top of The Nabs, where we all stopped to look at the amazing views. From there, it was along the tops of the hills then down towards Milldale using the old packhorse route. We were greeted by homemade cakes and drinks at the end of the walk, the chocolate cake was a hit with the children, and everyone enjoyed a sit down by the river. 

Thank you to everyone who came along to discover a new part of Dovedale, there is nothing better than a walk in the Peak District on a sunny Sunday afternoon!

Find out more about 50 things to do before you're 11 3/4 by going to the website: www.50things.org.uk