#CountryKids Mini Ramble on The Helm

We had another Mini Ramble with our local Ramblers on Sunday. This time we were joined by another family with 3 children to go up the Helm which is behind Oxenholme. There turned out to be plenty to do to make a 3 mile walk take 2.5 hours! First up we met the local hill ponies being taken for a ride:

Then we picked blackberries:

Spotted fungi:

Played hide and seek in the bracken:

And eventually reached the trig point on the top:

My daughter enjoyed helping to lead the walk:

Everyone tried to spot their house from the top:

Having younger children around to mother made my daughter's day. I think their parents enjoyed the break too:

It was lovely and peaceful along the top:

We stood and watched a skein of pink footed geese flying over head:

Before passing through a gate to go down the far side:

Plenty more fungi to spot on this side:

We had raided the car for empty plastic bottles so we could pond dip:

Nothing really found be we spotted this caterpillar nearby:

The quiet lane on the back of the hill was an autumnal delight as we hunted for acorns:

We only saw 3 cars whilst walking down here so it was very relaxing:

There were some tempting paths off the side:

It was a real test of our nature knowledge. We weren't sure which tree this was:

And the variety of fungi went nameless:

My son knew that these were acorns from an oak tree though:

For novelty there is an old unused phone box outside a farm. Perfect for locking kids in:

We spotted the ponies heading back from their ride:

Further up the trees changed and my son was excited by this find "Mummy there is something in this""

My children managed to find a climable tree too:

It was a mini adventure on the path back across the side of The Helm:

There was a chance to guess the paw prints, my daughter was hopeful with badger but the adults reckoned this was dog:

Children's imaginations are great my son was calling out "Mummy a fairy house" when he saw this fly agaric:

All in all a perfect autumn walk with kids who came home with pockets stuffed with acorns! Roll on the next one in November..