Over the past few months the Manx Wildlife Trust has been working in Claughbane Plantation, above the Elfin Glen Hairpin, to create a fabulous play fort for children. Now we want to build a wild maze next to it.

We have felled an area of plantation conifers to create a half acre clearing in the forest to make the maze and now we need help to design it. The only way to design the maze will be to lay it out on site. The Manx Wildlife Trust are inviting families out on the New Year’s Bank Holiday (2nd January) to come up and help us. All people will need to bring is wellies, a bag of flour (if you have some spare) and imagination.

Meet at the hairpin at 10am or join us later (we will put up signs from the hairpin to the fort).

Once the maze is designed we will get working throughout January to build all the paths that have been laid out. We will invite families back again on the 12th of February to then plant hundreds of young hazel trees that will make the maze hedges and attract wildlife. We will also plant wildflowers like primroses and cow parsley along the path edges.

Andree Dubbeldam from the Manx Wildlife Trust says ‘the maze and play fort should last for generations and will be as popular with woodland wildlife as it will be with children and the young at heart’.

A big thank you goes to Tesco’s ‘Bags of Help' for funding the work and to our contractors, Manx Marvel Gardens, who have gone the  extra mile for us.

Please keep your eye on the website www.manxwt.org.uk and our Facebook page for further updates. Contact Andree on 07624 434251 for more details.

Photo courtesy of Dawn Dickens, Education Officer for the MWT.