This weekend I have been trying to embrace the outdoors. I am not really the kind of Mum that enjoys getting muddy. I don't mind going for a nice country walk and stopping off in a nice pub for lunch. But when it comes to going out in the cold and damp I am afraid to say that I am like my name.

Fairweather.

But I have 3 boys.

They have a lot of energy.

They seem to like mud so much that they end up getting covered head to toe in it.

So on Saturday we went to the local forest. I was excited to find a Stick Man. Little man was too.


But along the lines of the book....

A stick cries the boy, a wonderful stick

Just the thing I need to poke things with

He prods and he pokes at things on the ground

And bashes some trees really hard up and down

Before he knows it the arm of the stick

Is no longer there from something he's hit.


Not quite the same charm as Julia Donaldson's story is it?

Anyway, continuing our weekend of embracing the outdoors we headed to Alice Holt on Sunday and did their Stick Man Trail. For £3 you get a map to tick off things you will see on the route. There are a couple of pipe cleaners to help you make your own Stick Man by securing sticks together and a crayon so you can do some tree rubbings.

Spotting things on the way helps to encourage the boys to go on a walk.

We also spotted the Gruffalo's Child and Gruffalo on the way.


At the end of the trail is stick man. I have to say he is much larger than I would have imagined! On the tree next to stick man you are encouraged to leave your stick man on the family tree. Was I allowed to do this?

No.



So did our Stick man find his stick lady love and stick children three?

No.

He is in a pile by the front door with many other sticks that are required from every walk we take.

Again, I prefer Julia's ending!