Andy's outings bushcraft and foraging school
BEST FOR
Ages 8+
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Consett
What it’s like
Bushcraft and foraging courses in ancient woodland, teaching kids the plant knowledge and wild skills our ancestors relied on.
This one's about learning to read the woods rather than just walking through them. The bushcraft courses cover the practical skills people used to survive off the land, while the foraging side gets into plant identification for wild food and medicine, all set in ancient woodland that does a lot of the teaching by itself.
It suits kids from around 8 up, old enough to handle a proper walk and actually take in what they're being shown rather than just wanting to run off and climb something. There's a plant identification walk too, which sounds like the gentler entry point if a full bushcraft course feels like a big ask for a first visit.
The school's been through a bit of a journey, opening back in 2018 and then reopening in a new location in 2023, so it's worth knowing this is a settled, established setup rather than something brand new finding its feet. Given the outdoor, woodland setting, this is very much a dry-boots-and-old-clothes kind of outing rather than a wet-weather backup plan.
Need to know
- Best for
- Ages 8 and up, old enough for a proper woodland skills course
- Aimed at ages 8 and up rather than younger children
- Set in ancient woodland, so dress for the ground and the weather
- Reopened in a new location in 2023 after first opening in 2018
- The plant identification walk looks like a gentler starting point than a full bushcraft course
Plan your visit
What age is this suitable for?
It's aimed at children from around 8 upwards, which fits the level of concentration a foraging or bushcraft walk actually needs.
What do the kids actually do?
Bushcraft courses teach traditional survival skills, and the foraging courses cover plant identification for wild food and medicine. There's also a dedicated plant identification walk through ancient woodland.
Is this indoors or outdoors?
Entirely outdoors, in ancient woodland, so it's dependent on the terrain and season rather than a sheltered venue.
Is the school new?
It first opened in April 2018 and reopened in a new location in 2023, so it's been running in some form for several years.
See all Forest School & Outdoor Learning in Newcastle · Things to do in Newcastle
MAKE A DAY OF IT
