Essex Wildlife Trust, Abbotts Hall Farm, Gt Wigborough, Colchester, Essex CO5 7RZ
Thorndon Countryside Centre
Telephone: 01277 232944
Email: click here
Address: Thorndon Park N., The Avenue, Brentwood, CM13 3RZ.
Grid ref: TQ 605 914 (click for O/S map)
A joint venture between Essex County Council and the Trust, it was built in 1989 using specially-treated timber salvaged after the 1987 Storm. The Trust shop offers a wide range of quality goods. The display area contains interactive displays. The Centre has wheelchair access and a disabled person's toilet. A wheelchair can be provided on request. The park lies south of Brentwood, just west of the A128 off the Avenue, which links the A128 and the B186 (Brentwood - South Ockendon). There is a large pay and display car park. Open every day except Christmas and Boxing Day from 10 am to 5 pm (spring and summer) or to dusk (autumn and winter) 01277 232944
Open:
Booking essential for all except free events: phone 01277 232944
Sun 27 Jul 2pm Butterfly and Dragonfly Walk
A fascinating walk led by local expert Margaret Mitchell. Learn a little about the wide variety of flying insect the park supports!!
Donation: £3.00 per person or family ticket (2+2) £10.00
Wed 30 Jul 10.00am ECC- Be a Badger
Explore the park using the senses of a badger. Learn about a badgers life. suitable for ages 3+. Pre-booking essential
Fee: £3.00 per child
Fri 1 Aug 7.30 Nightwatcher
Come and enjoy the dark side of the park, bats, owls, moths and more. Pre-booking essential. This event will be at Thorndon Park South.
Donation: £4.00 per child
Fri 1 Aug 10.30-11.00am ECC-Knights, Princesses and Dragons Quest
Pick up a secret map and lead yourselves throught the woods.Solve riddles about magical long ago times. Collect a prize at the end. Suitable 3-8 years. Come in costume!
Fee: £3.00 per child
Sat 2 Aug 10.30am Grub Club
Fun and activities in the woods for 5 to 7 year olds. Pre booking essential.
Donation: £4.00 per child
Mon 4 Aug 10.00 a.m. A Brief Encounter with the natural world
Experience the woods in a different way using all your senses. Suitable for ages 3+. Pre-booking essential This event is at Thorndon South.
Fee: £3.00 per child
Tue 5 Aug 10.00 a.m. & 2.00 p.m. Caterpillar Club
Fun and games in the woods for under 5's. Pre-booking essential.
Donation: £4.00 per child
Tue 5 Aug 10.30 a.m. or 2.00 p.m. Depth Explorers
What#s lurking in the depths of our pond? 2 hours of fun and activities in the park. Suitable for accompanied 6 to 12 year olds. Pre-booking essential
Donation: £4.00 per child
Wed 6 Aug 10.30 a.m. & 1.45 p.m. I'm a Kid, Get Me Out of Here!
Follow bushcraft expert Roy Spear's tips and pointers to learn how to survive in the wild. A self-led trail with a prize at the end. Suitable for families. Pre-booking essential. Meet Pavilion Cafe, Thorndon South
Fee: £3.00 per child
Thu 7 Aug 10.30 a.m. & 2.00 p.m. Big Bug-Little Bug. How many legs does a woodlouse have?
2 hours of fun and activities in the park. Suitable for accompanied 6 to 12 year olds. Pre-booking essential.
Donation: £4.00 per child
Sat 9 Aug 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Macro photo day course
Get the most out of your close up photography with Danies Bridge Pre-booking essential.
Donation: £30.00 per person
Wed 13 Aug 11.00 a.m. Pirates and Mermaids
Can pirates and mermaids work together to solve the clues and complete the challenges to find Birdnest Beard's buried treasure? Suitable for ages 4+. Come in costume! Prpayment essential.
Fee: £5.00 per child
Wed 13 Aug 10.00 a.m. or 2.00 p.m. Family Fun Day - The Sky's the Limit
2 hours of fun and activities in the park. Suitable for accompanied 6 to 12 year olds. Pre-booking essential.
Donation: £4.00 per child
Sat 16 Aug 11.00 a.m. Knights, Princesses & Dragons
Join Thorndon's knights and princesses on their quest set in long ago times of magic and legend. Enjoy the adventure and receive a prize. Suitable for ages 4+. Come in costume! Pre-payment essential.
Donation: £5.00 per child
Tue 19 Aug 10.30 a.m. or 2.00 p p.m. Family Fun Day Jurassic Thorndon. Do Dinosaurs still live here?
2 hours of fun and activities in the park. Suitable for accompanied 6 to 12 year olds. Pre-booking essential.
Donation: £4.00 per child
Wed 20 Aug 10.30am ECC-Bushcraft Firelighting
Learn the techniques of firelighting, bushcraft style. Can you get flames with just one match?
Fee: £3.00 per child
Thu 21 Aug 10.30 a.m. or 2.00 p.m. Family Fun Day - Hider in the woods. Can you be seen in your country den?
2 hours of fun and activities in the park. Suitable for accompanied 6 to 12 year olds. Pre-booking essential
Donation: £4.00 per child
Fri 22 Aug 11.00am ECC-Teddies in their Dens
Bring your teddy for an adventure in the woods making dens, with games and stories. Suitable for ages 3+
Fee: £3.00
Tue 26 Aug 1.45-2.15pm ECC-Pirates and Princesses
Pick up a treasure map and lead yourselves through the woods.Follow the clues and answer the riddles and you could win a prize.Come in costume! pre-booking essential. Ages 3-8
Fee: £3.00
Tue 26 Aug 10.30 a.m. or 2.00 p.m. Family Fun Day - Buckets, chutes and hoops. Are you up to the challenge of our games
2 hours of fun and activities in the park. Suitable for accompanied 6 to 12 year olds. Pre-booking essential
Donation: £4.00 per child
Wed 27 Aug 11.00 a.m. Fairies and Wizards - Four Seasons
Walk with Thorndon's magical folk and learn about the seasonal fairies and wizards. Then enter the Wizard's workshop of art and crafts. Suitable for 3 to 7 year olds. Come in costume! Pre payment essential
Fee: £4.00 per child
Thu 28 Aug 10.30 a.m. or 2.00 p.m. Family Fun Day - Snug as a Bug. Where would a bug like to live?
2 hours of fun and activities in the park. Suitable for accompanied 8 to 12 year olds. Pre-booking essential
Donation: £4.00 per child
Fri 29 Aug 11.00 ECC -Spy High
Join Thorndon's spy school and master the skills of secret agents.Pass 4 tests and graduate from Spy Hidh. Ages 5plus.Come in costume! pre-payment essential
Fee: £5.00 per child
Sat 6 Sep 10am till 4.30pm Artists Day Course
The fourth in this series of day courses with Trevor Harwood. Choose any medium painting all aspects of the park outside weather permitting. Pre-booking essential. Limited spaces
Donation: £25.00 per person
Sun 14 Sep 10 am till 4pm Badger Day Course
A fascinating insight into this secretive animals lifestyle. The anatomy, the law, how to track and much more. Limited places. Pre-booking and payment essential
Donation: £20.00 per person
Sun 5 Oct 10.30am till 4pm Dolls clothes
A chance to buy hand made dolls clothes by Iris Bishop. All the latest dolls catered for. Beautiful bargains from as little as £1.50
Free event
Sat 25 Oct 5pm or 7pm Halloween
Join our traditional family halloween event. With arts and craft activities in the centre followed by a candlelit walk in the woods. Limited numbers. Pre-booking and payment essential. £4.00 per child. Suitable for ages 4 to 7.
Donation: 4.00 per child
Sun 26 Oct 10am till 4pm Woodturner
Brian Addison- well known local woodturner with a large display of beautiful items for sale.
Free event
Sat 1 Nov to Sun 2 Nov 10 am till 4pm Wildlife photos
A large selection of wonderful wildlife photography for sale by Andy Webb
Free event
Fri 7 Nov 7pm Campfire Night
Fun and games around the campfire, listen to the stories, sing the songs, drink the hot chocolate & eat the sweets, heaven! Pre-booking essential.
Donation: £3.50 per person or £10.00 for a family of 4
Tue 2 Dec 10 am or 2pm Caterpiller club
Fun and activities in the woods for pre-schoolers. Pre-payment and booking essential. £4.00 per child.
Free event
Thu 4 Dec 6pm to 8.30pm Late Night shopping
Gift ideas, craft stalls, hand bells, carol singers,warm mince pies and a glass of mulled wine to get you in the mood for Christmas.
Donation: £1.50 per person