Thinking Walks
Thinking Walks
Welcome
To celebrate 200 years since Darwin's birth, Lily, Ash and Joseph the tortoise invite you to follow in Darwin's footsteps with our Darwin-inspired Thinking Walks. Thinking Walks complement The Great Plant Hunt, created by Royal Botanic Garden, Kew (RBG Kew), commissioned and funded by the Wellcome Trust.
The Great Plant Hunt aims to get the UK's primary schools and their pupils out and about and excited by nature and Thinking Walks offer families, friends and outdoor organisations a chance to get involved too. Thinking Walks are supported by the National Trust.
What is a Thinking Walk?
Darwin loved the outdoors, and spent a lot of time with his family, in their garden at Down House in Kent. He built a sand covered pathway that journeyed through his garden, past shady woodland and alongside nearby fields. He called it the Sandwalk.
Taking a walk on his specially-created 'Thinking Path' was an important part of Charles Darwin's daily routine. He used this daily walk as a chance to ponder questions that were raised by his observations and research. Darwin also enjoyed feeling and seeing the changes in seasons and weather as he strolled.
There are three Darwin-inspired Thinking Walk themes: Amazing Adaptations - discover how plants are adapted to their surroundings; Seed Search - explore the ways that plants disperse their seeds and Plant Spy - uncover the parts of the plant and what they do.
Who are Thinking Walks for?
Thinking Walks are aimed at families, children, carers, grandparents and anyone who loves the outdoors and would like to follow in Darwin's footsteps.
Find a Thinking Walk near you
Search for the Thinking Walks events on the Darwin 200 website. Type Thinking Walk into the Keyword/Title box. This will list all the registered public Thinking Walks in your region. Keep checking this site as new walks will be registered throughout 2009.
Thinking Walks at Kew - Saturday 6 June - Sunday 27 September 2009
Where will Thinking Walks take place?
We are hoping that organisations with outdoor space such as botanical gardens, nature reserves and local parks will hold Thinking Walks for you to join in with.
In fact, anyone and anywhere with outside space, in any part of the country can use Thinking Walks to explore their local patch - from Brownie groups in their local green space to hosting your own child's party in the garden at home.
What will we do on a Thinking Walk?
As you walk you will find a series of Thinking Points. Each one will have a question to ponder, like 'How can grass keep growing even though it has been nibbled very short?' and an activity to try, such as 'Look for leaves of different shapes'.
At the end of the walk you are invited to add your answers to Bright Ideas boards and see what other Thinking Walkers' thought. This is just how Darwin and his peers shared and debated their ideas. There are also extra activities to get involved with, like making a newspaper plant pot or a Darwin Doodle Book.
Organise a Thinking Walk
This section has all you'll need to be able to organise your own Thinking Walk - long or short, big or small!
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