Put your best foot forward for a family nature trail at Castle Park, Bangor
Saturday 26 July, 2.30pm
Here’s your chance to explore the beautiful grounds of Bangor’s Castle Park. Saturday 26 July is the date for your summer diary, and walkers should meet at North Down Museum for a 2.30pm start.
One of a series of summer events run by North Down Borough Council, this guided walk will be led by bird expert Dot Blakely and Patrick Cregg of the Woodland Trust. Patrick enthuses: “This is a great opportunity to enjoy a summer stroll through the magnificent grounds of Castle Park. It will be fun and informative with an emphasis on woodland and the precious wildlife within. Stepping out at a leisurely pace, the walk will last roughly one hour and will be suitable for the whole family.”
The walk will include a brief insight into the fascinating history of Castle Park; useful tips on bird identification; and a chance to get to grips (quite literally) with some of the Park’s oldest trees. Part of the Ancient Tree Hunt, the Woodland Trust wants everyone – adults and children – to pinpoint and record our country’s ancient trees.
“Castle Park is home to an impressive variety of old trees – from the giant Wellingtonia to some striking Eucalyptus trees and, of course, our native and well-loved mighty oaks,” says Patrick Cregg. “We’ll be having some fun measuring their girth through the simple, but effective means of ‘hugging’!”
Everyone is welcome; however children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Don’t forget your comfortable footwear. Please note tickets must be booked in advance and are available through North Down Museum or Bangor Tourist Information Centre; telephone 028 9127 0069 or email tic@northdown.gov.uk
And if you can’t make it on Saturday 26 July, you’ll have another chance to explore the grounds of Castle Park with Patrick and Dot on Sunday 17 August at 2.30pm.
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For media enquiries contact:
Kaye Coates at the Woodland Trust on 028 91 275787 or email kayecoates@woodlandtrust.org.uk
Notes to editors:
The Woodland Trust: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 250,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk
Here in Northern Ireland the Woodland Trust cares for 52 woods. These woods contain a mix of newly created community woodland, mature woodland and ancient woodland (land continuously wooded since 1600). We have also produced the first comprehensive record of ancient woodland in Northern Ireland.
