23/04/04 - A new leaflet with details of countryside events in Darlington for the next six months has been produced by Darlington Borough Council's Countryside Team. The leaflet gives a month by month calendar of events and activities in and around the countryside and wildlife areas of the Borough.
One of the first events of the programme is a guided walk to help celebrate "Switch off the TV Week", an international initiative to try to encourage people to move out of their armchairs and away from the TV and try something different. The walk will be guided by Earth Walk Leader Mike Rafferty and will take place on Sunday 25 April at 2.00pm - 4.00pm. It will take people on a journey through the senses as they wander through the ancient woodland of Dinsdale. No booking is required, walkers are asked to meet at the bottom of Church Lane, Middleton St. George.
Highlights of the whole events programme include the chance to take part in "International Dawn Chorus Day" on Sunday 2 May from 5.00am. For those who prefer activities later in the day there is a "Bat Watch" on Friday 7 May and "Moths by Light" on Friday 21 May. Tree lovers can enjoy a range of events including a guided walk to celebrate the Tree Council's Walk in the Woods Campaign on Sunday 16 May or a guided walk to see one of the country's rarest tree species, the Black Poplar in its natural habitat on Sunday 6 June.
Active countryside lovers can take part in a series of conservation tasks including a Rights of Way Mystery Day on Sunday 13 June and a seed collecting event on Wednesday 14 July. Those who prefer two wheels can take part in a number of cycling events including a guided ride around the "Heighington Boot" on Sunday 13 June. Walkers haven't been forgotten with a series of guided walks including an informative tour of South Park's Restoration Programme.
Later in the year, theatre and arts lovers can enjoy a taste of the country and the arts with an afternoon of outdoor theatre called "Yew Wood Wouldn't You" on Saturday 3 July. Other arts events include a drumming and a junk music workshop and programme of events to celebrate the Tees Forest Storytelling Festival in August.
Talking about the events, Councillor David Lyonette, the Council's Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration said:
"The countryside in and around Darlington is a rich and varied resource that should be used and enjoyed by people of all ages and interests. This new programme of events reflects this aim and provides an ideal way of introducing people to the delights of nature and gives them the opportunity to get involved with what's happening on their own doorstep and even play a part in improving the natural habitat of their areas by volunteering."
The new leaflet is available at different venues across the Borough including libraries, Information Darlington and the Town Hall. For more details of any of the events or for a leaflet, contact the Countryside Team on (01325) 388648.