Things To Do...

Get out and about in the Forest

Explore a fascinating part of The National Forest with the Swannington Village Trail. Find out about the village’s industrial heritage while walking through pleasant countryside and discovering new woodlands.

Funded through the proceeds of the National Forest Company’s LANDshapes book and a Leicestershire County Council Shire Grant, this excellent publication is the result of extensive research carried out by the Swannington Heritage Trust.

Pick up a copy of the Swannington Village Trail (£2.50) or the Trail Map (50p) from Snibston Discovery Museum.

Chair turning

Greenwood Days is opening an indoor workshop for winter greenwood chair making courses in the picturesque village of Ticknall, near Calke Abbey. Chairs will be made from locally sourced greenwood, and ‘turned’ in the woodland (weather permitting), before finishing them in the snug indoor workshop.

These intensive courses are run by Peter Wood, a prize winning chair maker of 15 years experience, and can accommodate one or two people, running over one to eight days.

Cost: weekdays £80 per day plus materials; weekends £120 per day plus materials.

For more information and bookings call 01332 864529 or email

Through a Keene eye

The Magic Attic in Swadlincote has produced a fascinating exhibition drawn from over 7000 images donated from the archives of the Burton Mail. The pictures – many taken by renowned photographer Richard Keene of Burton – form a unique pictorial record of the industrial and social history of the area over the last 110 years.

The making of the exhibition has been supported by the National Forest Company through proceeds from the LANDshapes Heritage in the Making book.

See it first at Sharpe’s Pottery Museum on 16 and 17 November.

National Forest Walking Festival

17-26 May 2008 sees the first ever National Forest Walking Festival. The guided walks of varying length will have fascinating facts on the flora and fauna or the heritage and history of the land. A number of excellent walks packs have been produced to help visitors get to the heart of this ‘forest in the making’.

For further information on the walking festival or walks packs contact the Tourist Information Centres – Ashby de la Zouch 01530 411 767, Burton upon Trent 01283 508 111, Swadlincote 01283 222 848.