A Forest School hopes to open this summer for children to get close to nature in the National Trust wood on Fontmell Down.

The Trust owns the down and private wood and NT ranger Chris Whitbourn is behind the Wild about Woodlands plan, which aims to encourage knowledge and confidence among kids from pre-school through to teens.

“The basic principles of Forest School is of children learning outside, learning about themselves by doing artistic or craft things and learning ways of connecting with each other,” says Chris.
An example might be putting up a tarpaulin cover, he says.

“Some kids might do it instantly, some might struggle a bit. If they don’t manage, it’s not
failing, it’s about
learning about
how to do it
and going
back another
day and
trying
again.”

Chris got his
inspiration for
Forest School, originally a Scandinavian concept, from the Bath Skyline, a three-mile National Trust trail. There are around 50 such schools in England under the forestschoolassociation.org umbrella.

The site is the first of its type on Cranborne Chase and in the Blackmore Vale and will be available for up to 40 days a year. Chris thinks a group of 20 children from schools or community groups would be an ideal size.

“We don’t know how successful it is going to be,” said Chris. “We also have permission to build a woodman’s hut on site but we’ll see how it takes off.”

The children will have the run of the wood, which is fenced with padlocked gates, and surrounding downs. The site also has an enclosed composting loo, standpipe for water and fire circles.

As it is part of the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the AoNB is also involved, having partnered with the National Trust on a Wonderful Woodlands project.
The project was due to open last year but plans were scuppered by covid.

Bookings still cannot be taken but Chris hopes that the NT will be able to open the site to groups from June. It costs £60 a day to hire, and the children need to be accompanied by a Forest School Practitioner to Level 3 qualification, which may be a teacher or a qualified freelance.

More than 70 people registered for an online AoNB talk last week, in which Chris unveiled plans for the project which promises “wild art, bug hunts and woodland games.”

He added: “Kids will be dropped off at the Spread Eagle Hill car park and have to walk in, bringing their own food, wipes and anything else they need for the day. We provide the water, loo and any utensils they will need.”

“There are elements of bushcraft but imagine kids aged six using a bow drill to make a fire. Then they could make unleavened bread by twirling the dough on a stick. Imagine the buzz they get from that and boiling water for a hot drink.”

For more information, email Clive at Clive.Whitbourn@nationaltrust.org.uk or call him on 07788 480686.

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