We’ve been to Black Park quite a few times before but never really explored it other than just walking around the lake towards the café and the children’s play area. Taking part in the Easter trail was the perfect opportunity to explore more fully whilst also having the fun of trying to find things along the way.
We picked up our trail sheets at the visitor centre for £3 each and sat to read the story of Edwina, the Easter bunny, and how a naughty cuckoo had stolen her eggs and left one egg in each of the nine bird boxes in the park, which when then guarded by one of Edwina’s animal friends until the children could find them. Each of the bird boxes contained a letter, and when all the letters were collected, they spelled out the name of the naughty cuckoo.
Our first bird box, guarded by Leonard the Lamb, was found just outside the café before we headed off into the woods, following a path that we had never explored before. Penelope the Python was guarding the next box and Bobby the Beetle guarded the third. I loved how excited the girls got when they spotted each of the animals on the signs up ahead and Jessica was very proud of herself for being able to identify each letter correctly. I didn’t have to do anything other than just write the answers down – it was nice to follow a trail where the girls could find the answers without any help from me.
Continuing our journey through the woods, we found Sally the Sloth, Kris the Kite and Warren the Wallaby guarding the next three boxes before we turned and headed towards the lake. Jessica made me chuckle as we spotted an arrow pointing upwards (indicating we needed to go straight ahead).
“Silly arrow!” she said. “We can’t go that way, we haven’t got wings!”
Although the girls had been happy to walk throughout the trail, I had brought the buggy just in case. The next part of the trail, which took us off the path and along the lake shore, was much more difficult to negotiate thanks to steps and tree roots all along the ground. It was just as well that neither of the girls were in the buggy – I would have found it impossible otherwise! Douglas the Dog was guarding the box next to the lake and there were lots of other dogs around enjoying a paddle which Jessica and Sophie were quite fascinated by.
Heading back towards the play area, we found our final two boxes – guarded by Tommy the Toad and Matilda the Mongoose and worked out that it was Christian who was the naughty cuckoo thief. We made our way back to the visitor centre where the girls received a chocolate bunny each as a reward for finishing the trail and solving the puzzle. Needless to say, the bunnies didn’t last very long!
It was a fair walk for the girls but they had both managed it without needing the buggy and still had enough energy left for a trip to the playground afterwards.
It was lovely to explore parts of Black Park that we had never explored before and looking at the map from the trail, there are still plenty more areas yet to discover – I think we will have to be a little more adventurous in our future visits!
Looks like your girls had a lot of fun with their Easter trail. They always look so cute in their matching coats x
Thanks Karen – we did have lots of fun 🙂
It sounds ike a successful trail. Just right for their age groups. I bet they didn’t realise how far they had walked. #CountryKids
Having things to look at certainly helped distract them from how long a walk it was!
Well done the girls on their walking, I think it always helps with a task to forget about tired legs. I love the idea of the bird boxes, looks like I wasn’t the only one thinking up interesting clues. Lovely to see them both so full of energy and even enjoying the play area at the end. Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
It is amazing how much further they can walk when there is something to distract them! The bird boxes were so much fun and it’s always lovely to watch them both having fun in the play area. Thanks for hosting #CountryKids 🙂
Black park looks like a really lovely place to visit and a place where there are always new parts to explore. I love the names for the animals that were guarding all of the eggs 🙂 #countrykids
It is a lovely place to explore – never realised before just how big it is though! I loved all the different animal on the trail – it was so much fun spotting them all 🙂
That sounds like a great trail and I love the idea of needing wings! #CountryKids
I quite like the idea of needing wings too – it did make me chuckle! 🙂
Oh how lovely. I adore their little faces, full of excitement whilst on their brilliant egg treasure hunt! It looks like a wonderful place for a good walk, with lots of lovely places to explore too. Steph xxx
It was a lovely walk and I loved how much fun they had finding all the bird boxes and the clues along the way 🙂
I love it when treasure hunts make it so exciting for children. You can see that your daughters were having a wonderful time!
They are a great way of making a walk so much more fun 🙂
I love Black Park but I didn’t know they had an Easter trail – it looks like a great day out! x
Thanks Donna – I think that trail has ended now but I have a feeling there are some different ones coming up over the next few months too.
Sounds like a great walk and it’s so nice to be able to stand back and watch them find the clues, although J still needed a bit of help on our Easter egg hunt this year #CountryKids
Thanks Sherry – it was nice not to have to help them too much with the clues 🙂
That’s a lovely final photo. Looks like it was a great trail, and it’s always good to find new places.
Thanks Emma – it was a lot of fun and I love the photos of the girls in the play area having fun together 🙂
Little explorers looks like having a great time. Lovely photos of them as always. <3
Thank you Melody – they do love getting out and about and discovering new places to explore 🙂
This made me nostalgic! Me and my sister always wear the same clothes as kids! Lovely photos and trip! #countrykids
Thank you Merlinda – it was a lovely day out 🙂
That looks like a fun trail and Jessica’s comment about not being able to fly made me chuckle 🙂
Thanks Sara – I did love that comment, it made me smile too 🙂