Willow Explore the Wilderness

Thursday 3^rd July was the perfect summer’s day for Willow Class to be in and around The Wilderness in Kintbury, West Berkshire as part of Action for Rivers Kennet’s (ARK) River School.

This year ARK are working with more than 2,000 children in the Kennet catchment, from Lockeridge to Reading, encouraging everyone to love their river and take positive actions to help them.

The class met Jimmy, the Fishery River Keeper who explained how he became a keeper and what his job involves. Willow especially liked meeting Jimmy's dog! Then it was off for a riverbank stroll to spot fish and other wildlife, followed by river dipping to discover freshwater invertebrates (including an invasive non-native American signal crayfish) and bullheads. After lunch on the bankside Willow waded through the river to see it from a different perspective and to experience the changes in depth, flow and how it felt to walk on the riverbed.  

Riley received an ARK Hero award for his excellent participation with the whole class really enjoying their visit, which one described as being ‘so informative and exciting!’