Magical night-time nature trail at Hollingworth Lake that’s perfect for families

Posted by on 17 Sep 2024

More details have been revealed about a new illuminated night-time nature trail at Hollingworth Lake in Rochdale that will be a beautiful and magical experience for families.                               

Announced earlier this year, ‘Wild Wanders’ will be a free outdoor environmental arts event for all ages, culminating in a spectacular night-time nature trail at Hollingworth Lake Country Park, open from Thursday 24 to Sunday 27 October. Each evening, visitors will take an illuminated walk featuring some of the creatures that live in the woods, alongside sound, light, projections and beautiful fire installations. Visitors should expect the unexpected as they wander through the experience, spotting some of the wonderful wildlife that comes out at night, and hear from local children whose voices will be woven into a soundtrack exploring their hopes for the natural world.

Outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank have been busy working with 300 local school children, community groups and artists, connecting them with nature and increasing engagement on the climate emergency as well as generating eye-catching attractions that will form part of the trail. 

Wild Wanders will open as dusk falls each evening, with free tickets available to book online from 10am on Monday 23 September at rochdale.gov.uk/YourEvents. A range of time slots will be available and the 30-minute trail begins outside the RSPCA Animal Centre at Hollingworth Lake Country Park car park.

Refreshments will be available in the Woodlands Café at the RSPCA Animal Centre.

Councillor Sue Smith, cabinet member for communities and co-operation at Rochdale Borough Council said: “This will be something we’ve never seen before, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to another world. Wild Wanders will encourage visitors to think positively about what they can do to make the world a better place for future generations. There will be something to captivate all ages including hands-on elements and a kaleidoscope of colour featuring fire gardens, flowers, moths, stilt walkers, lanterns, woodland animals and much more. It will be bold and magical, so don’t miss your chance to get free tickets when they are released.”

Rochdale Borough Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and committed to becoming a carbon neutral borough by 2038.

Liz Pugh, executive producer at Walk the Plank added: “Wild Wanders is an opportunity to connect our young people and the borough’s residents with nature on their doorstep in a really exciting way.

We know our planet is warming up too quickly and our wild creatures and the green spaces they inhabit are threatened by human activities, so listening to the wisdom of children who are thinking about the future in positive ways has been inspiring.  Giving them an opportunity to feel that they can make a difference is so important.”

Wild Wanders is created by Rochdale Borough Council working with multi-award winning international outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank alongside the Local Cultural Education Partnership (LCEP), Culture Co-Op, Rochdale Development Agency, Your Trust and Hopwood Hall College and University Centre. It is funded by Arts Council England and the Garfield Weston Foundation.

More information about Wild Wanders and free tickets when available is at rochdale.gov.uk/YourEvents

Address
Hollingworth Lake Country Park, Rakewood Rd, Littleborough OL15 0AQ

Dates
Thursday 24 October to Sunday 27 October

Opening times
Thursday 24 October
6.30pm – 9pm
Friday 25 October
6.30pm – 9pm
Saturday 26 October
6pm – 9pm
Sunday 27 October
5pm – 8.30pm

Tickets
Free, but you must book a free ticket for everyone attending.

Parking
Parking is available at Lake Bank Car Park for ticketholders who request a space when booking tickets. From here it is a 10 minute walk to the start of the trail.
Accessible parking for blue badge holders is available at Hollingworth Lake Country Park car park who request a space when booking tickets.