Wow, someone was looking after us! It had rained all week, and it rained again on Friday morning — but when the children arrived at 1.15 pm they were welcomed by a beautiful blue-and-white cloudy sky, a warm wind and glorious sunshine. We were blessed!
Thirteen excited children arrived from St Mary’s and St Benedict’s School, Coventry, full of anticipation and waving to Bart as Mrs MacDonald, the Head Teacher, parked the school bus.
Due to the continued closure of the North/South path, we took the walk down the Lime Tree end of Abbey Fields, stopping at the first bridge crossing for the traditional game of Pooh Sticks — always a favourite. Trees were pointed out all along the route, with Limes, Copper Beech and Black Poplars dominating the skyline. (The children earn a reward at the end of the walk if, as a team, they can remember ten of the plants or trees they’ve seen!)
Suddenly we were on the lip of the famous Abbey Fields crater, and the children couldn’t resist: a race down and across, followed by a roll back into the depths. We paused to perform the all-important ‘do you like butter?’ test with a buttercup — and of course, they all do. Hogweed and bramble fringing the margins drew questions about the wildlife habitats they create.
Then came the undoubted highlight of the trip — the Bird Feeding Platform. After strict instructions on how to feed the birds, the children were completely enthralled. Mallards, swans, cygnets and a great many chicks appeared, and the delight on the children’s faces had every passing adult smiling too.
With time running out, we marched up to the Ford to examine the fallen trees, guessing their ages from the exposed tree rings — a fascinating hands-on history lesson in wood.
We gathered at the entrance to the children’s play area for the grand finale: could the group remember ten trees and plants from the walk? They could — and the reward of one jelly baby each was shared out to screams of delight before the children sprinted to the swings and slides.
Nature has delivered again!
— Bart