Warrener’s Course

Plummeting temperatures didn’t stop 9 participants from attending our brand new Warrener’s course last weekend.

It was crispy cold  with snow-flurries and an icy-cold easterly wind – but with Rob’s fire we all kept warm – well, until we went outside the confines of the base-camp that is.

The weekend started with an overview of warrening and warrening equipment and an introduction to the ferret. JP’s expertise introduced everyone to the dying art of these particular sets of countryside skills, which is the aim of this series of Countryside Courses.

We were so lucky to have, as a backdrop, the ancient medieval warrens of Hatfield Forest, where, in the 12th century, one of the very first warrens, (in fact also forest as a working term) was first established in Britain.

An additional highlight was the guest appearance of Spock the Ashy-faced barn owl and Harry the Harris Hawk. Although we couldn’t fly them, they had great exercise by stretching their wings and meeting and greeting Hatfield Forest visitors.

Our new site at the opposite end of Hatfield Forest proved to be a favourable  choice with better access to facilities and stacks of wildlife. We saw muntjac and tracked badger prints back to a sett. The open rides will prove interesting with the ever-present fallow deer. We even have our own scrub area which already shows huge potential especially for out wildlife courses.

Places are still available for our next course, the Wilderness Camp Course on Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th March. Details here > http://www.woodlife.co.uk/2009/10/03/wcampc/

Thanks for the visit.