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A fantastic new attraction for the Broads will open on 21st May 2007 just a mile
or two from Little River View Holiday Cottage in Horning.
BeWILDerwood will be a wildlife
and adventure park offering fantastic outdoor fun for everyone and will be a
fantastic addition to the leisure opportunities available just a short distance
from Little River View.
More details will be released
as we get nearer the opening date but here's a taster from the recent
BeWILDerwood press release:
"The
50-acre wild and imaginative adventure park with magical tree houses and
characters bringing a curious difference to the Norfolk Broads is set to open on
Friday 25th May 2007. Not only will you be able to find the regular wildlife of
squirrels, rabbits and hedgehogs but also the other creatures that have taken
accommodation in Norfolk’s most talked about new attraction, such as the
ThornyClod Spider, Marsh Boggles and the Crocklebog!
Land owner and entrepreneur of this idea Tom Blofeld, has written an
accompanying children's book, creating the weird and wonderful characters that
populate the woods, “A Boggle at BeWILDerwood.”
Norfolk's latest tourist magnet is being built in woodland off the A1062 near
Wroxham (this is only a mile and a half from the cottage), opposite Hoveton
Little Broad. Work has started on the £1.5m outdoor adventure park
‘BeWILDerwood’ with many of the aerial tree houses and winding pathways now
nearing completion.
Tom Blofeld says: “BeWILDerwood is a reality adventure for the most bold and
daring of children. Children who read the book will be able to follow in the
footsteps of lead character Swampy, a 2ft-high marsh boggle with a taste for
adventure!”
Children will be able to experience the book through the real-life adventure
park, similar to a healthy outdoors computer programme!
To enter the world of BeWILDerwood, there will be a short boat journey though
the marsh on ‘Stanley Arthur’ the original ferry boat which took passengers from
Horning to Woodbastick Nature Trail.
Tom explains: “From start to finish BeWILDerwood is a magical adventure,
starting with the boat journey, children will be able to follow the characters.
When you get to the Broken Bridge, for example, which is seven metres above the
ground, you'll have to walk over invisible glass, which will be fairly scary."
Swampy will be joined by friends including 14ft-long vegetarian crocklebog
Mildred (featured below), who through laser technology will come out of the
water at the end of the boat ride to greet arrivals.
BeWILDerwood is aimed at four to 14-year-olds and their attendants but as Simon
Egan says: ‘we’ve already had lots of adults ask whether they’re allowed to have
a go. So , in reality, we suspect it’s going to be more like four to eighty!”
The 50 acre site, featuring aerial walkways through pine, fir, sweet chestnut
and oak trees above marshland, is projected to bring in 80,000 visitors a year.
Site developer Simon Egan added: "We started work at the beginning of May on the
tree houses. We're using Scandinavian pine wood, all from sustainable sources.
Whilst delivering the first lorry load of timber, the driver said it was the
first time he had ever been asked to deliver timber back to a wood!
There will be 30 platforms in total, linked by various rope bridges. Work has
also started on the car park and we have dredged out an original dyke and small
broad so people can get to the woodland site.
"We're also building miniature villages high in the trees for the Tree Twiggles.
There's a real buzz about the place, creating the magic and fantasy of this
imaginary world. None of us can wait until it finally opens."
With more and more children experiencing action only on their computer,
BeWILDerwood offers children and parents alike a fresh air alternative. "
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