Muiravonside Country park - The Outdoor Classroom

[Scots_Charles_River]

Did a 3hr walk with pupils around A local Country Park. An excellent event with the pupils enthused about learning all the facts and all the flora and fauna around inc. ancient and modern uses. These pupils normally portray 'challenging' behaviour in a classroom context.

Topped off by a magic encounter with two badgers ten ft away.

The tracking of badgers, rabbits and Sparrowhawks was excellent. I'll never walk past a small depression, scrape or mark again without thinking what and how it was created. Wood pigeon feathers in a ring pattern below a yew tree with the quill slightly creased was evidence of a Sparrowhawks dinner. There is a cool Willow teepee, with freshly planted cuttings.

The very knowledgable and professional ranger helped ID -

Mushroom, Fungi,Berries, tress, plants,herbs, grasses, scats, dungs, tracks and traces.
Some huge Horse's Hoofs. Palmsized. The oyster mushrooms I saw two weeks ago were gone !

An Excellent evening. The pupils present wish to take biolgy now.
Forgot my camera but will return as it's 1 mile from my hoose.

Nick

PS I teach CDT

MODs = please remove the name of the park ?

 

[Chainsaw]

Mods, it's still in the forum thread index, it's what caught my eye as it's near me too.

sounds like a good one, was it a schools only job?

Cheers,

Alan

 

[scottishwolf]

I quite often go there with the dog. It's a great place for fungus. Got loads of horse shoe last year from there. And the river has many but small trout, £6 a day ticket.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Mods, it's still in the forum thread index, it's what caught my eye as it's near me too.

sounds like a good one, was it a schools only job?

Cheers,

Alan

Hi,

I had arranged it, as a teacher, but there is often 'adult' versions of the walk. The visitor centre is open at weekends and has various decent wildlife stuff. Parking up at Avonbridge then walking down to the park along the Avon River trail, then going to Linlithgow Bridge and returning via the bus would be a good day out. I think
the River trail is linear 11 miles.

I also recommend walking up the Caron Valley River trail starting at Dunipace then having a pub lunch in the Carron Bridge pub and returning.

Nick

 

[Chainsaw]

oh man, if it's 11 miles I'll get the bike out!

Sounds like a good way to spend a morning/afternoon, I'm getting really bored sitting in at the weekend so if I've nothing planned, I'll definitely pop along and probably drag the family too

Cheers,

Alan

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

oh man, if it's 11 miles I'll get the bike out!

Sounds like a good way to spend a morning/afternoon, I'm getting really bored sitting in at the weekend so if I've nothing planned, I'll definitely pop along and probably drag the family too

You can bike it apart from a carry up and over the old viaduct, using the path.
Parking at Linlithgow Bridge, cross the river, turn right then right at the Green sign down to the river, under the viaduct and then a couple of kms up to the canal then over the Avon viaduct brings you to the park. The riverside is pretty sheltered, although thh river may be high. The pigs in the farm at the park are cool.

Nick