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Greenwood Days in The National Forest – Carol Rowntree Jones describes an unusual birthday party for her husband

publication date: Jun 22, 2007

I organised a bespoke weekend with Greenwood Days as a birthday treat for my husband. Our party totalled 18 in all:  three other couples and ten kids ranging in age from six to 17 years, boys and girls.  We were to spend about 24 hours in the woods, from Sunday to Monday morning.

Peter Wood, who runs this outfit specialising in traditional crafts, has built a wonderful structure within the woods. The fire burns and the kettle sings constantly beside the crafting equipment and tools, under a high, white shelter, that creaks and sighs in the wind, making you feel like you are held in the sails of a ship. 

Peter and I had discussed how the day would work best for a group of such greatly differing ages. I decided we would all work on making a bench for the birthday boy, with everyone contributing something over the course of the day, whether it was taking an axe to shape the first lumps of tree into what would become the legs, or spending a relaxing half-hour sitting astride the shaving horse, shaping the back struts.  

Interspersed with this we did willow weaving, creating bull rush shapes that danced on the end of long sticks, or snails, or fantastical creatures, so named when the weaving went a bit wonky!  We made pea wigwams and the most beautiful lanterns to light our barbecue as the evening closed in.

The kids were only too pleased to get off to bed in the bracken so we were left in relative peace, putting the world to rights as the trees swayed gently.

It was a bonus that it did not rain until the early hours.  The onslaught of torrential rain proved too much for the woodland shelters and several of us admitted defeat and retreated to the main shelter – leaving those with Gore-tex bivvy bags snug as bugs.

We were bleary eyed and damp the next morning.  But spirits were not daunted, even when we set off on our final task – to try a spot of coracling on the local reservoir. No one fell in, and I felt I had fulfilled my duty to provide some excitement when I was the only one to have to be rescued!

All in all, a very special time. The children still talk about the axes, and the lanterns and the barbecue, and my friends rate it the best birthday treat ever.  The husband was pretty chuffed too!

Choose from: 
The Longbow Experience: following in the footsteps of English and Welsh bowmen from the Middle Ages, learn to shape an ash bow using simple tools and persuade it to bend to a near-semi circle.  Finish it with the bowstring – then try firing it!

Coracle Making:  Build a boat in a weekend! Create an "Iron Bridge" coracle from a framework of ash laths, covered with calico and bituminised.  Then float your boat (change of clothing recommended)!

The Fabulous Family Greenwood Week:  Spend a week in the greenwood, sleeping in woodland shelters – or a comfortable woodland lodge.  There are plenty of activities and crafts to choose from:  willow sculpture, making a stool from a tree, pole lathe turning, rustic chair making.

Guide to prices: 
Courses £60 per person per day plus materials includes hot lunch.
For specific requirements discuss costs with Peter Wood.

Contact:
Greenwood Days tel:  01332 864529

Location:
The activities take place in Spring Wood, near Melbourne, Derbyshire