Day 75 - Rain stops (wild)play

I had a full day of Wildplay today, two sessions, in two locations today and for the first time (in just over a year of doing Wildplay) I experienced bad weather during the sessions! I've been really lucky up to now I think!

I arrived at the wood, a nature reserve, at 9am and when the other wildplay ladies arrived, we had to decide what to do as it had been raining heavily for some time.  I had rather hoped this morning that Wildplay might be cancelled, not because of the rain so much but because this is a location where, from my previous experience, getting 3 children in good weather is 'busy' so I wasn't expecting anyone to turn out in the rain for it.

It's quite a walk from the parking at the edge of the wood to the clearing further in where we set up wildplay and we started walking down (without any kit) to do a site check, but we'd gone maybe a quarter of the way and were already getting drenched (through the waterproofs too!) so we retreated back and all squeezed into the van. We ate cherry bakewells, chatted and played a 'What am I game?' by picking a picture from a set of insect trail cards and putting them in our hoods, then trying to guess which insect we were!

By 11am, we'd not seen anyone so we called it a day. The 'boss' wrote a post on the facebook page which said something along the lines of

'Lovely weather for ducks, but as no one has braved the rain this morning at HH, the wildplay officers are heading back to the office to dry off before the afternoon session'

We returned to the office, had hot chocolate and did some admin then ate lunch before heading out again to do the next session, in a park this time.

It wasn't raining as heavily but the park was still deserted. We didn't set up properly but did set out a trail, put a bit of den building kit out and some bowls, spoons etc for mud pies and mud painting, then we all sat in the van again, looking out for any children. Eventually, we had two boys come along, quite close together, who each stayed for about half an hour and did some den building (the first boy made a "bear trap" using poles, ropes and camo nets and then tested it and 'caught' himself quite effectively!), mud painting, clay hedgehogs, flint and steel lighting and a scavenger hunt.

Ladybird pupae and a harvest man on this tree

Today I learned that slugs climb trees!

There were some nuts in the van so we put a handful out for a squirrel who kept coming nearby and then watched him bury them in various places.

Once the two boys had finished, we packed away a little early and called it a day!

I don't have any Wildplay sessions next week. I had booked a little place to stay near Stamford for a few days away before Birdfair next weekend, but this evening, the owner of the accommodation called me to say she was going to have to cancel the booking as the boiler had broken and, despite having a plumber there for two days, it's not going to be fixed in time so there won't be any hot water or heating. I could live without the heating, but I do need my daily shower. That's a real pain but these things happen.  Unfortunately (after an evening spent searching) it seems everywhere within reasonable distance and price is fully booked (because it's Birdfair weekend).

Now I'm wondering whether to just abandon my little holiday plan and stay at home. I could do another day with Derbyshire W.T (they really need the help) and have the rest of the week at home (very appealing) and then see if I can find a one or two night stay somewhere closer to Rutland Water for Birdfair. It's that or get up really early on Saturday morning for the two hour drive there, and then get home late!