We’re Going on a Bear Hunt comes to life at Wakehurst this October half-term

Saturday 14 – Sunday 29 October 2023
Main trail included with entry: Adult: £16.50, Members: Free, Young person (17-25 years): £8.25, Children (0-16 years): Free
Nature Heroes mission activity: £3 per child
Tickets are on sale now at www.kew.org/wakehurst
Wakehurst, Sussex

An intrepid and sensory adventure for all the family at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex
Interactive installations in autumnal woodlands throughout the October half-term
Children can complete the new Nature Heroes wildlife tracking mission and earn a badge

This October half-term, families are invited to embark on an unforgettable adventure at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, as the much-loved family favourite We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, is brought to life.

Young explorers can delight in sensory installations throughout stunning autumnal landscapes, and participate in the next Nature Heroes mission, to get their paws on a branded badge. The original picture book, written by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury and published by Walker Books was made even more popular by Lupus Films' adaptation of the story into an award-winning TV Special which is shown on Channel 4 every year.

This brand-new trail invites families to follow in the footsteps of the characters in the tale, traversing through captivating installations evoking each natural obstacle from the story. On a sensory adventure for the whole family, children can roam through swishy swashy grass, conquer thick oozy mud, brave a swirling whirling snowstorm, and so much more, all in search of the mysterious bear. Celebrating the wondrous colours and textures of the natural world, the trail takes place in a truly unique setting, with British birches in Bethlehem Wood transformed into a tapestry of yellow and gold, to towering Wollemi pines in Coates Wood.

The half-term must-do activity weaves through Tree Trunk Trek, where an adventurous log trail awaits, the perfect pit-stop for burning off extra energy. At the end of their adventure, families can venture into Wild Wood, an enchanting world of woven sculptures, to seek out other friendly creatures, fostering a sense of wonder for the nature.

Families' journeys continue across the broader stretches of Wakehurst’s wild landscape, as autumn’s golden colours descend on the gardens. For more sensory adventures, children will enjoy crunching autumnal leaves, splashing in muddy puddles or hunting down the sugary scent of the Katsura ‘candyfloss’ tree. Westwood Lake becomes the perfect photo spot to capture dazzling autumn reflections, and visitors can keep an eye out for weird and wonderful fungi starting to pop up on the woodland floor.

Alongside the main trail, the add-on Tracker Trail mission forms part of Wakehurst’s ongoing family programme, Nature Heroes, where young adventurers can conquer a quest each school holiday and half-term, gaining a themed badge. This October, children can hone their wildlife tracking skills on the fifth Nature Heroes mission, earning a beautiful branded We're Going on a Bear Hunt badge to proudly display on their superhero cape.

Programmes Manager, Eva Owen commented:

“We’re delighted to be bringing this heartwarming family tale to life at Wakehurst for half-term. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt resonates across generations forming the perfect opportunity to bring loved ones together this autumn. Our spectacular gardens offer the ideal environment for this beautiful sensory journey, and we hope visitors of all ages will join us to create muddy memories and inspire a lifelong passion for nature.”

This trail runs through a dog friendly route. Please note, Tree Trunk Trek remains dog-free.

ENDS

For more information, images and interviews please contact Jessica Hayne, Communications & Content Executive: j.hayne@kew.org or WakehurstPR@Kew.org.

For tickets, please visit www.kew.org/wakehurst.

Notes to Editors

Ticket Information

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
10am to 5pm (last entry at 4pm)
Main trail included with entry – pre-booking essential
Children 16 and under go FREE.

Nature Heroes badge trail
10am to 5pm (last entry at 4pm)
£3.50 per child

Nature Hero cape for members: £6.75
Nature Hero cape for non-members: £13.50

About Wakehurst

Please note that Wakehurst is referred to just as Wakehurst, not Wakehurst Place. It is not a National Trust property.

The National Trust was bequeathed the Mansion and grounds of Wakehurst in 1963. It was then entrusted to us here at Kew in 1965, and we now work in partnership with the National Trust to care for our collections and heritage areas.

Wakehurst is Kew’s wild botanic garden in the Sussex High Weald. Its ancient and beautiful landscapes span 535 acres and are a place for escape, exploration, tranquillity, and wonder. Its diverse collection of plants from Britain and around the globe thrive within a tapestry of innovative gardens, temperate woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. Wakehurst is a centre for UK biodiversity and global conservation, seed research and ecosystem science. At its heart is Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, the world’s largest store of seeds from wild plant species.

RBG Kew receives approximately one third of its funding from Government through the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and research councils. Further funding needed to support RBG Kew’s vital work comes from donors, membership and commercial activity including ticket sales. In the first six months since implementing a new accessibility scheme for those in receipt of Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Legacy Benefits, Kew has welcomed 10,000 visitors with £1 tickets.

At the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, we’re dedicated to harnessing the power of plants and fungi to end the extinction crisis and secure a future for all life on Earth. With our world-leading research, global partnerships and beloved gardens – home to the world’s most diverse collections of plants and fungi – we’re using our trusted voice to shape policy and practice worldwide. As a charity we rely on the critical support of our visitors, not only to sustain the gardens, but to protect global plant and fungal biodiversity for the benefit of our planet and humanity.

About Walker Books

Home to books for all ages, Walker Books publishes many award-winning authors, illustrators, and literary franchises including Anthony Horowitz, Angie Thomas, Cassandra Clare, Lucy Cousins, Anthony Browne, Patrick Ness, Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, and Where’s Wally? by Martin Handford. Walker Books is part of the vibrant international Walker Books Group that includes Walker Books Australia; Candlewick Press and Walker Books US in America and Walker Productions.

About Lupus Films