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This is a map of the walk we do once every week at Newlands

My map of the lyne river walk Emma

This is the map of our river walk

One of our youngsters, Scott has been out and about exploring. Here's some of his photos. And today is his birthday. Happy Birthday Scott!

Our Lyne River Walk map. This shows where we usually go and (right from the school to the place we turn back) Amy Chapman

Activity 1: Sowing Wildflower seeds and planting Willow. What You Will Need: .Wildflower seeds .Willow tree branches . Gardening gloves .Trowel .Spade Age groups: Suitable for all ages! What this activity will do to help the area: Willow trees seem to grow really well around the Lyne and it seems to be a very common sight. Not only does this look pretty but it is also very important for supporting the wildlife too. Birds will nest in their branches and they will provide lots of vital shelter for other animals. Wildflowers are also important for insects and other small creatures. Bees and Butterflies will especially enjoy this. Activity 2: Birdwatching/Counting bird numbers/ identifying different bird species and building camouflage shelters. What You will need: .Bird guide book .Binoculars .Notebook .Pen/pencil Age Groups:6+ What this activity will do to help the area: Many types of birds enjoy living around the river. For example; Isla and I have spotted grey wagtails hopping around on the riverbank, seen grey herons flying overhead and it seems to be a great habitat for chaffinches as well. By identifying different birds and counting the ones we see, this would be a great opportunity to get a rough estimate of just how many birds live beside the Lyne and what we could do to help boost their numbers. Different birds of prey such as buzzards, kestrels and the occasional sparrowhawk have been seen flying near the river so this would be a great chance to spot some! As well as this you could even set up some camouflage shelters to avoid disturbing the birds! Activity 3: Photography What you will need: .Camera/IPad Age groups: 6+ What this activity will do to help the area: Photography might not help plant trees or count birds but it does help with understanding nature. I myself am a keen wildlife photographer and I know from experience that taking pictures is a calming, relaxing way to enjoy the great outdoors. It also helps with coordination and precision. The IPads have very good cameras and it isn’t hard to get a good photo! Photography really does help people to realise why being outside is so important and just how beautiful nature really is... Amy Chapman P.S: THE BIRD PHOTOS WERE ALL TAKEN BY ME!(THEY JUST LOOK FUZZY BECAUSE I TOOK A PHOTO OF MY CAMERA’S SCREEN! IN REAL LIFE THEY ARE ACTUALLY VERY DETAILED! P.P.S: The Woodpecker photo is possibly one of my best ever!!! P.P.P.S: Please click on the photos.

Miss Gold (picture 1) and Scott were both out and about walking at the weekend. Great photos guys! We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful country, and John Muir is a great way to share our experiences.

Fence going in Chippings Wild area