We were thrilled that so many people braved the hot weather (for the second year running!) to join us to celebrate returning the land to community ownership. After a welcome by Shan Oakes, Mayor of Knaresborough and KFP team member, we were delighted that Ben Skinner, our former Chair, opened the event with a rousing rendering of his Ballad of Long Lands Common, telling the tale of where we have come from and where we are going. During the afternoon we were treated to music b

We were thrilled that Knaresborough Museum Association chose the subject of the ancient Knaresborough Forest to create not only a very informative exhibition at Knaresborough Heritage Centre but also a wonderful film shown at their recent Son et Lumière event at Knaresborough House. It maps the history of the Forest and also looks to the future, emphasizing the importance of protecting our local green spaces - a topic very close to our hearts! The film features paintings by o

We received a generous offer of help to furnish our 'schoolroom' at the Garth, a secure room we will be able to use when welcoming groups to Knaresborough Forest Park. A supporter who is a member of Knaresborough Quilters, Sue Hadley, offered to make cushions for the wooden benches. She was also given the materials free of charge by the Cone Exchange in Harrogate. When it came to stuffing the cushions, we were able to use sheep's wool which had also been donated by a local fa

As we are now into July, it seems a good time to share some news about some of the birds that can be seen around KFP during the summer. First of the summer visitors to arrive in the spring are the warblers, of which the Chiffchaff and Blackcaps are the most common and are breeding widely at KFP. The Blackcap has a rich ‘fluting’ song that has earned it the name of the ‘Northern Nightingale’. The Common Whitethroat is another warbler seen at KFP and appears to be more widesp

Thursday is our regular volunteer day, today with 11 volunteers progress was made with many aspects of site development. Our first memorial bench, provided by APS, was installed alongside the Beryl Burton cycleway. More wildflowers, Field Scabious, Ragged Robin and Oxeye Daisy, grown from local seed, were planted near the new hazel coppice. Meanwhile solar panels were being installed at the Garth, funded by the Waugh Trust, supplied and wired by Oasis Energy. Looking good! An

A group of volunteers met on Knaresborough Forest Park today to launch our campaign to ask dog-walkers to keep their dogs on a lead when visiting the site. We feel it is important to engage dog owners in conversation to share our reasons for this, which are also explained in our previous journal post . We encourage dog walkers to enjoy walking on KFP, as long as they keep their dog on a lead, because: we have seen and heard skylarks, willow warblers and meadow pipits around t