What's on in the park? Check here!Swanning About In The Park
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Blossoming Crafts
28 March 2017
The April mini-miners' craft activity will involve making sprigs of cherry blossom. This way you can enjoy the beauty of spring blossom without cutting any off the trees. All activities are free and are open to all ages. Mini-miners takes place every first Saturday of the month at the Dynamo House Café during the opening hours of 10am to 1pm. Come along and join in the fun.
International Day Of Happiness
20 March 2017
Today 20th March is the International Day of Happiness. What is the International Day of Happiness? It’s a day to be happy, of course! Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way to recognise the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world.
Happiness is known to improve health & well-being so why not do something to make you & those around you happier: Maybe wrap up warm & go out and splash in a few puddles around the Mill Lakes, take a walk and enjoy the spring flowers in the Park or phone a friend and arrange to meet up for a coffee at the Dynamo House Café on Saturday. Whatever you do today we hope it makes you & others smile.
Happiness is known to improve health & well-being so why not do something to make you & those around you happier: Maybe wrap up warm & go out and splash in a few puddles around the Mill Lakes, take a walk and enjoy the spring flowers in the Park or phone a friend and arrange to meet up for a coffee at the Dynamo House Café on Saturday. Whatever you do today we hope it makes you & others smile.
Celebrate With The Neighbours
13 March 2017
Our neighbouring "Friends" group over at Moor Pond Woods near Papplewick are holding a weekend of celebrations on 17 - 19 March. This is to mark the successful end of their two-year Heritage Lottery funded programme of works. The events include a Jive Night, a Local History Day and the launch of a new walking trail.
The new walking trail links local public houses: the Horse and Groom (Linby) , Griffins Head (Papplewick) and Station Hotel (Hucknall) with Moor Pond Woods. A new leaflet includes information about points of interest and will be available on the day.
To find out more details check out their website: http://moorpond.papplewick.org/
The new walking trail links local public houses: the Horse and Groom (Linby) , Griffins Head (Papplewick) and Station Hotel (Hucknall) with Moor Pond Woods. A new leaflet includes information about points of interest and will be available on the day.
To find out more details check out their website: http://moorpond.papplewick.org/
Mining Heritage
8 March 2017
The East Midlands Coalmining Heritage Forum meeting is being held at Bestwood Winding Engine House & Dynamo House on 22 April. Various coalmining heritage organisations and individuals are being invited to come along and take part. This is an invitation only event but anyone interested in coming along can contact David Amos to discuss their interest in the event. Call him on (01773) 760030 or mobile 07914 373 745 or email on david.amos99@ntlworld.com.
Spring Has Sprung
2 March 2017
March has arrived and the weather has been very mixed so far. Sunshine & showers has been ideal for everything that is trying to grow & bloom in the park. Between the rain showers get out into the park and spot the changes unfolding before your eyes. If you take photos please share them with us either for the website gallery or put them forward for inclusion in our 2018 calendar. Email them here:- photos@fbcp.org.uk
Crafting Cork Coasters
28 February 2017
The craft activity for children on the first Saturday of March at the Dynamo House Café will be making cork-backed drinks coasters. All Mini-miners' activities are free and are carried out on a first come first served basis.
Children will be able to decorate the coasters with designs of their own choice and can either take them home or leave them at the café to use again on their next visit.
Children will be able to decorate the coasters with designs of their own choice and can either take them home or leave them at the café to use again on their next visit.
Mining Heritage
13 February 2017
We are looking for anyone who worked at Bestwood Colliery when it closed back in 1967. We would like to speak to them or their family members as part of a heritage project marking the 50th anniversary of the closure of the pit. We hope to stage an event on 1 July this year celebrating the achievements of the colliery and recording the memories of those who were connected to it. If you worked there, or had family who did, please get in touch with us via our contact page.
Flowers In February
1 February 2017
Folded Flowers
Saturday 4th February will see the Dynamo House Café full of blooming activity. The Mini-Miners will be making paper flowers this month to pass on to a loved one for Valentine's Day or to give to their Mum on Mothers' Day. All Mini-Miners' activities are free and happen every 1st Saturday of the month.
There will also be home-made vegetable soup & rolls on sale from 11am. 50p a mug & 50p for a roll & butter.
Watch out early on for the Park Runners who will be setting out at 9am on their 5km run. See you there!
There will also be home-made vegetable soup & rolls on sale from 11am. 50p a mug & 50p for a roll & butter.
Watch out early on for the Park Runners who will be setting out at 9am on their 5km run. See you there!
Calendar Competition
31 January 2017
2017 is the tenth year of the existence of our Friends group, and we’d like to celebrate it by collecting photos of the park as it is now, to put them into a Bestwood Country Park calendar for 2018, which we’ll have printed. We’d also like to collect photos of the colliery as it was before it closed, contrasting the two sets of images.
If you can get involved with this in any way please check the details below and help where you can, or pass it on to someone else who might!
If you can get involved with this in any way please check the details below and help where you can, or pass it on to someone else who might!
| 2018_bcp_calendar.pdf |
Volunteers Needed
30 January 2017
We would like to contact anyone - of any age - who is enthusiastic about our park wildlife. There’s no need to be an expert, we need enthusiasts! The plan is to get in contact with a group of people who’d be willing to help in some way in building up a picture of wildlife in the park over time. Once we have a few people who are all interested, we hope to meet up to decide the best way forward. Whether your interest is in flowers, animals, birds, trees, insects, reptiles, frogs, fungi... please register with us and join the adventure. Send us your details using the contact form.
Over-run With Enthusiasm
29 January 2017
Well the inaugural Park Run event in Bestwood Country Park was an undoubted success. We had 311 runners turn up to tackle the 5km around the park at 9am on Saturday 28th January. There were so many runners that it caused a few headaches on the parking front. The small car park was soon full and cars spilled out onto the surrounding roads which are quite narrow & not suited to on road parking. Apologies to anyone trying to get around that part of the village on Saturday morning if your progress was slowed by the congestion. We hope to address this by next week with negotiations ongoing with other parking areas in the village to take the overspill. To check out the results click here: http://www.parkrun.org.uk/bestwoodvillage/results/latestresults/
Park Life
26 January 2017
Don't forget your barcode
The phenomenon of park runs has swept the country and we are poised to join in. The Bestwood Country Park, 5km Park Run will start on Saturday 28 January. It will continue on each Saturday after that and all runs will begin at 9am. It is free to enter but you must register first so you have a bar code to bring along to show at the start line.
You register here:- http://www.parkrun.org.uk/bestwoodvillage/
We look forward to seeing all these active people enjoying the park at the weekend.
You register here:- http://www.parkrun.org.uk/bestwoodvillage/
We look forward to seeing all these active people enjoying the park at the weekend.
Chances to Volunteer
2 January 2017
Click to enlarge
The rota for the Conservation Task Day volunteers has been published. They meet at Alexandra Lodge every Thursday (except the days excluded on the poster) and carry out vital repair and improvement work in the park.
All tools and training is provided - you just bring your enthusiasm and a packed lunch. It is a great way to exercise whilst doing something worthwhile for the community and it is also a good way to make new friends.
If you are interested in getting involved contact Sue.
All tools and training is provided - you just bring your enthusiasm and a packed lunch. It is a great way to exercise whilst doing something worthwhile for the community and it is also a good way to make new friends.
If you are interested in getting involved contact Sue.
"Naked" Walk or Park Run?
31 December 2016
If your New Year's resolution is to be more active why not join us in the park for a walk or even a run.
WINTER TREE WALK – Sunday 8 January, 10.30 am – 12 noon, meeting at Dynamo House. Join a ranger on a guided walk through the woodlands; learn how to identify trees in their naked winter state and enjoy their silhouettes. Wear suitable footwear for steep, uneven, narrow and muddy paths – not suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs or those with mobility issues
5KM PARK RUNS are planned to start in our park from 28 January, (9am start) and every Saturday after that. (See www.parkrun.org.uk for general information and more details closer to the date.) It is free to join in but you need to register and get a bar code to print out and bring along on the day.
Of course you can reward yourself afterwards with a warm drink and a piece of cake at the Dynamo House Café which, as always, will be open 10am to 1pm.
WINTER TREE WALK – Sunday 8 January, 10.30 am – 12 noon, meeting at Dynamo House. Join a ranger on a guided walk through the woodlands; learn how to identify trees in their naked winter state and enjoy their silhouettes. Wear suitable footwear for steep, uneven, narrow and muddy paths – not suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs or those with mobility issues
5KM PARK RUNS are planned to start in our park from 28 January, (9am start) and every Saturday after that. (See www.parkrun.org.uk for general information and more details closer to the date.) It is free to join in but you need to register and get a bar code to print out and bring along on the day.
Of course you can reward yourself afterwards with a warm drink and a piece of cake at the Dynamo House Café which, as always, will be open 10am to 1pm.
Xmas Extras
27 December 2016
The Winding Engine House and the Dynamo House Café have been working overtime throughout the Christmas period. Since we promise to be open EVERY Saturday that meant opening on Christmas Eve. Around 100 people were glad we did as they took the opportunity to drop by during their visit to the park. We also try to open on Bank Holidays and we managed to be open on Boxing Day BH although sadly not today. Yesterday we had 122 visitors to the café who almost ate the place out of cake! Look out for more extra chances to visit us in 2017 starting with Saturday 31 December and Monday 2 January.
Firm Foundations
26 November 2016
Base for the storage container
Have you seen the new structure at the side of the Dynamo House Café? Want to know what it is? Well, we hope that it is the start of something amazing. It is the base for a shipping container we are going to have delivered to the site. This container will act as a store and is the first phase in what we hope will be a wonderful upgrade at the site. Watch this space for more information about changes at DH Café & WEH.
Colourful Collage
4 November 2016
One of our FoBCP members has been out enjoying the autumn show in the park. Brian managed to capture these lovely views around the park on his stroll which perfectly illustrate the variety of landscapes on offer. From the wild and random to the manicured and man-made the park has it all.
In these coming days of early autumn get out into the park and enjoy the free show.
Click on the image shown here to expand it and enjoy the views.
In these coming days of early autumn get out into the park and enjoy the free show.
Click on the image shown here to expand it and enjoy the views.
Linked Events
3 November 2016
Two events coming up in the next couple of weeks have links to Bestwood Country Park and the Winding Engine House. Check out the details by clicking below:
Soup Weather
2 November 2016
Vegetable Soup
The forecast is set fare for the weekend. Saturday promises to be cold, dry and bright - perfect for a walk in the park to take in the autumn colours. Your well deserved reward will be the opportunity to have a mug of hot home-made soup at the Dynamo House Café afterwards to help you thaw out. At just 50p for the soup and 50p for the home-made roll & butter it won't break the bank either. There might even be 50p left over for a piece of cake too! See you there.
In partnership with
Who are we?
The Friends of Bestwood Country Park was formed in late 2007 and focuses its activities a few miles north of Nottingham in Bestwood Country Park.
The group’s aim overall is to promote the interests of our big beautiful park, its habitats and flora and fauna as well as its many human visitors and its historic buildings, and to serve as an active means of communication and co-operation between all users.
The group meets most months on the 3rd Thursday of the month at the Bestwood Lodge Hotel. You can check out what goes on at the meetings page. We are always looking for new members to join us and everyone is welcome to come along to the meetings. If you think you would be interested in coming along please use the contact us form to let us have your details.
The group’s aim overall is to promote the interests of our big beautiful park, its habitats and flora and fauna as well as its many human visitors and its historic buildings, and to serve as an active means of communication and co-operation between all users.
The group meets most months on the 3rd Thursday of the month at the Bestwood Lodge Hotel. You can check out what goes on at the meetings page. We are always looking for new members to join us and everyone is welcome to come along to the meetings. If you think you would be interested in coming along please use the contact us form to let us have your details.
What do we actually do?
There are several strands to the group of people interested in the park so it is not all about meetings! If you’re into engineering, you might be interested in joining the Winding Engine House Volunteers. If you’re into practical conservation, there’s a group that meets on Mondays (except bank holidays) to help the rangers with their work. A similar practical group meets on the first Sunday of the month. No experience necessary and tools will be provided.
To find out more check out out volunteering page under the Events tab.
To find out more check out out volunteering page under the Events tab.
The Forum
We have previously run a web forum where people can log any wildlife they see or get involved in discussion threads on issues involving the park. This old forum has been moved into this website where all old posts have been archived.
Useful Links
Read the Richard the Ranger's blog - click here
Read Rob's blog - click here
Read Rob's blog - click here
Bestwood Country Park Facebook account
Bestwood Country Park Flickr site
Bestwood Park Photos by Katja Hock
Bestwood St Albans Parish Council
Bestwood Village Park Run
Bestwood Village WI
Bestwood Village Wikipedia entry
Greenwood Community Forest
Gedling BC - Country Parks
Love Parks
Mercian Archaeological Services
Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group
Nottinghamshire CC - Country Parks
Rise Park Bestwood Country Park Pages
If you have images of the park you would like to add to our gallery please send them in to us using photos@fbcp.org.uk
You can discuss the format we need using the contact us form.
Bestwood Country Park Flickr site
Bestwood Park Photos by Katja Hock
Bestwood St Albans Parish Council
Bestwood Village Park Run
Bestwood Village WI
Bestwood Village Wikipedia entry
Greenwood Community Forest
Gedling BC - Country Parks
Love Parks
Mercian Archaeological Services
Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group
Nottinghamshire CC - Country Parks
Rise Park Bestwood Country Park Pages
If you have images of the park you would like to add to our gallery please send them in to us using photos@fbcp.org.uk
You can discuss the format we need using the contact us form.
Actually wanted Friends of Buchan Country Park, based in West Sussex? If so, click here:- fobcp.org.uk.
