In preparation for our forthcoming Scarecrow Day - Bank Holiday Monday 29th August - our ever young volunteers took up the challenge to produce a few scarecrows to be used around the area to advertise our event.
There was no shortage of volunteers offering their help in going back to their youth building these scarecrows. Great fun was had by everyone involved.
We must apologise to our visitors expecting to pick up one of our trail guides from the leaflet holders. We have underestimated the popularity of the reserve and have therefore had to order a reprint ahead of schedule. The new supply should be with us by the Bank Holiday but in the meantime, if you require a trail guide, there is a copy available to download from our website. Otherwise we do have a map on our Information Board in the main car park.
This afternoon whilst walking from our office to the main car park to close the height barriers on the car park gates I heard a great deal of chatter coming from our new den building area in Villa Wood. I went to have a look at who was making so much noise and found 3 generations of the same family enjoying themselves whilst constructing a substantial den. It was obvious the more mature members had done this before but for the youngsters it was their first time and they were thoroughly enjoying the experience. I was so impressed by their endeavours that I requested a photograph for our records - so here in full colour are the Pearson family having fun in the woods.
Yesterday marked the first of our annual 'Great Scarecrow Days' held in the playmeadow under leaden skies. Over 200 visitors came and tried their hand at making scarecrows of all shapes, sizes and themes.
Everybody really enjoyed their time here despite the occasional watering from above, vowing to return next year armed with more clothes, more hats and more ideas of how to be crowned Middleton Lakes Scarecrow Maker Extrordinaire!
Whilst all this chaos was cracking off in the playmeadow, there was something akin to a 'light twitch' going on elsewhere on the reserve. A pair of curlew sandpipers and a couple of little stints had turned up to see what all the fuss was about. None of them were perturbed by our scarecrows - obviously we're going to have to do better next year!
How about suggestions for themes?
A work party went down to the woods yesterday - and now everyone's in for a surprise.
5-star example den with warden for scale
As you can see above, they did a fantastic job finishing off the den-building area ready for National Playday tomorrow, Wednesday 3 August. We'll have lots of fun on our play meadow from 10 am till 4 pm, including the den area's grand opening in the morning...
Bring along your family - and a picnic - and get stuck in!