For almost two hours children braved the elements to get involved in all things den related.

From learning more about trees and shelters around the world and their importance to humans and animals, to designing then making their own dens using tree branches and tarpaulin and decorating them with items collected from the woodland floor such as leaves and pine cones, a great time was had by kids of all ages.

The highlight of the event was the grand test of each den which included checking if everybody could squeeze into the structure, their overall design and whether they were able to withstand the elements including the wind and rain. Usually the rain is recreated using buckets of water, but this summer they haven’t been needed.

Liz Heard, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Green Mentor says:

“The den building events are always the first to be booked up but, to be honest, we expected people to drop out because of the rain, so it was great to see everybody turning up.

“Although the event is aimed primarily at children, there were quite a few adults taking a trip down memory lane and sharing their den building experiences from when they were young which were great to listen to.”

The wildlife charity still has a number of events running at Northumberlandia until the end of the summer holidays. To find out more visit: www.nwt.org.uk/events  

Northumberlandia is managed by national charity the Land Trust. The Land Trust is responsible for the long term management of green open spaces to promote healthy living, enhance social cohesion, encourage learning, enhance ecosystems and stimulate economic growth.