Deep in Nature

Deep in Nature Forest school classes and birthday parties for children. Forest bathing and nature based mindfulness for adults and families.

31/05/2026

Check out this amazing find from a walk today.

These are small ermine moth webs. The moths lay rheir eggs in a silk web which looks like halloween has come several months early!
This is a great evolutionary strategy to maximise the number of successful hatchings: pack as many eggs together as possible. The webbing then adds an extra layer of protection as so many eggs in one place are more visible to predators.

It looks like the tree is suffering but no permament damage is done and the tree returns to normal after the caterpillara have hatched. The webbing gradually disolves and there is no lasting trace of nature's early halloween decorations! Moths play a hugely important role in the ecosystem, providing food for bats and performing a role in pollinating plants.

These ermine moth webs are around from the end of May so slow down and have a look for them next time you are out in the woods.

I wanted to share this beautiful moment from a recent walk. I'd gone out as I was feeling stressed and anxious. I stoppe...
24/05/2026

I wanted to share this beautiful moment from a recent walk. I'd gone out as I was feeling stressed and anxious.

I stopped and took a little bit of time to admire the beauty of this hawthorn.

I watched the leaves and branches move gently im the breeze, noticed the vivid green of the leaves and the gentle white of the blossom.
I enjoyed the scent of the hawthorn flowers and listened to the sound of the birds in the background.

It only took a few minutes but I felt my shoulders drop, my breathing slow and I felt calmer and more able to carry on with the day.

This is a lovely, quick and accessible idea to try out - it works for children and adults to take a few moments to pause and recharge or reset.

Have a go and let me know what you think.

One of the things I love about slowing down and being mindful in nature is that you see things you would otherwise miss....
27/04/2026

One of the things I love about slowing down and being mindful in nature is that you see things you would otherwise miss.

If you slow down and start to notice, you will see these small holes in the ground in woodland, at the edge of fields, or sometimes in your garden.

These are the burrows of miner bees, a solitary bee that builds nests to lay eggs and overwinter. At this time of year as the ground warms up, the bees start to emerge from their nests and these little holes and piles of soil are the clues to their existence.

By taking time and noticing what's around us, you can spot some wonderful and overlooked sights. Once you start noticing nature and connecting to it, you will find your eye drawn to these little details more and more. It's a great way to connect with nature and helps you to be present in the moment.

If you want to learn more about miner bees I recommend taking a look at the Woodland Trust website which has some great information.

If you're looking for a way to shake off thr cobwebs, we have a few spaces left at our last forest bathing sessiom of th...
27/12/2025

If you're looking for a way to shake off thr cobwebs, we have a few spaces left at our last forest bathing sessiom of the year at Wrest Park tomorrow (Sunday 28 December 10.30- 12.00).

Come and join us for our Christmas family forest school sessions.We will have nature-based Christmas crafts to make and ...
11/11/2025

Come and join us for our Christmas family forest school sessions.

We will have nature-based Christmas crafts to make and take home and our usual forest school equipment to play on.

If the weather is fine we will finish with a campfire and smores - if not, we will have a hot chocolate station inside.

Numbers are capped to make sure we can comfortably accommodate everyone and there will be free flow access inside the hall as usual.

We will be offering different craft activities at each session.

Sessions suitable for children aged 18 months to 9 years (with a bit of wriggle room for parents to decide what's appropriate).

We look forward to seeing you there!
Any questions, drop us a message.
Booking on the usual bookwhen site (link in bio).

30/10/2025

Make some spooky conker eyeballs.

Paint a white circle on a Conker, allow to dry and then add details for the iris and pupil using pens.

If you are doing this activity with little ones, it can be a good idea to prepare a few white ones in advance - you need the white paint to be dry before adding the details and it can be frustrating to wait!

If you haven't collected any conkers yet, there is still time. I went last week and there were lots on the ground under horse chestnut trees. I've included some pictures of what to look for in terms of leaves if you aren't sure.

The joy of finding an unopened Conker shell and seeing what size Conker ypu have still gives me great pleasure!

Send me some pictures if you try this at home.


Have you noticed that there are lots of acorns this year?That's because this year is what's called a "Mast year" - essen...
26/10/2025

Have you noticed that there are lots of acorns this year?

That's because this year is what's called a "Mast year" - essentially a bumper crop of acorns across most healthy oak trees.

This happens every few years - scientists have been researching this area and have found that oak trees produce the same amount of flowers each year, but that weather conditions in Spring and Summer, affect how many acorns are produced.

The Mast year crop is something that is co-ordinated across most healthy oak trees - it's not just the individual trees which is totally fascinating!

Research is still ongoing as to how this co-ordination happens but it's likely to be transmission of chemical signals through the mycelium network underground (the wood wide web).

I meant to post about this a few weeks ago but I found it so fascinating I went deep with my research online and then acorn spotting in practice!

For anyone else who is interested in the science behind this - Dr Andrew Hacket Pain of the University of Liverpool has posted some open access research articles which are super interesting.

Next time you're out walking or playing in the woods, check out any oak trees around you and see if you can spot lots of acorns.

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https://bookwhen.com/deepinnature

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