Hepple x Young Wilders: Wild Weekend
by Layla Mapemba, Engagement Officer, Young Wilders
Last month, we herded together a cline of young nature nerds and set off for the beautiful landscape of Northumberland for the inaugural Hepple Wilds x Youngwilders ‘Wild Weekend’. Over a month later, I still daydream about unzipping my tent to the sound of the morning chorus and the sight of longhorn cattle ambling across “The Hill”.
Weeks of intensive planning and anxiety - with this being Youngwilders' first camping event - instantly dissipated upon meeting the warm and inviting Lucy and Walter (and their lovely K9 companion, Astrid). Their generous and kind hospitality is as integral to Hepple’s ethos as their impressive ‘managed wilding’.
The attendees arrived energised for the scenic three-hour walking tour, which culminated in traversing - what felt like - a cliff face, to discover a surprise pop-up bar at the peak, celebrating gin grown and distilled at Hepple. We each had the opportunity to plant a juvenile Juniper and are all looking forward to tasting the gin these particular berries flavour in the years to come.
During our stay, we explored species of plants, insects and birds through various activities, including a bioblitz (check out our findings on iNaturalist) and an early morning bird walk. I have since told everyone who will listen about the lifers I spotted, including a Barn Owl, Lapwings and Oystercatchers - it was a prolific weekend for the birders amongst us!
Some of our highlights were the talks from multiple invited speakers. The Missing Lynx Project detailed their fascinating three-stage project to assess the possibility of successfully reintroducing the Eurasian Lynx to Britain. It seemed as though every single one of us had a question for them, each person buzzing with excitement at the possibility of coexisting with such a majestic animal. The knowledgeable and entertaining Dr Erica McAlister gifted us with a presentation on all things flies (including their intriguing sex lives...!) She had us all laughing until our abs ached and reconsidering our fly-swatting habits. The fly community does not know how lucky they are to have an advocate in Erica!
The weekend was filled with learning, laughter, awe and tranquillity. We are immensely grateful to Walter and Lucy for giving us the opportunity to facilitate this event, and to all the young people who attended, got stuck in and made the weekend as wonderful as it was. Our work is fruitless without your enthusiasm and joyful curiosity!
Here’s to many more experiences of nature connection at Hepple Wilds!
Layla Mapemba
Engagement Officer, Youngwilders
June 2024