Philip Bell, local Isle of Wight author and publisher at Beachy Books, will be at Borthwood Copse on Monday 7th May at 1pm (click to see full details) to hand out maps and Wild Wood Spotter Guides for families and children keen to follow in the footsteps of Jack and Boo, the characters from his spring book, Jack and Boo’s Wild Wood and go in search of bluebells and other signs of spring.
The unguided spotter walks have been organised as part of the Isle of Wight Walking Festival 2012, and the author will also be at Borthwood Copse for a repeat walk on Saturday 19th May 2012 (click to see full details), again at 1pm. (The title of the walks are printed incorrectly on the council website – the walks are Spotter Walks, the scavenger hunt is in the autumn – scroll down for details).
Borthwood Copse is owned by The National Trust and many of the photos in the book were taken in the wood. The walk is free with voluntary donations to the National Trust’s Borthwood conservation fund.
Philip Bell says: “It’s the perfect time to see the wood because of the bluebells – which look and smell wonderful! You can also look out for bumblebees, woodpeckers and other spring flowers. The walk is unguided – so you can go at your own pace. It’s around a mile or so, but you can make it shorter or longer as there are various paths. It’s a pleasant circular walk that’s ideal for families and children so please come along and bring a picnic if you want.”
If you fancy a walk and spotting signs of spring in a beautiful ancient woodland, Philip will be at the main entrance of Borthwood Copse, by the number 8 bus stop on Alverstone Road, Winford, near Sandown from 1pm.
If you have an “off-road” buggy with tyres you can still join in and it’s dog friendly, but the National Trust ask that you keep dogs on a lead please. If you come by car, there is limited parking on the road and also a small council owned car park up the Alverstone road (past the turning to Forest Road) on your right.
If you park then walk along to the main entrance to collect a map and Jack and Boo’s Wild Wood Spotter Guide from Philip and he should have a few Beachy Books with him if you want to buy a signed copy or order books.
If you enjoy this spring walk then please come back during the Autumn Walking Weekend (also part of The Isle of Wight Walking Festival) to see how the wood has changed and take part in the Wild Wood Scavenger Hunt!
For more information Contact Philip Bell.