The New Woods Project: An old solution to a modern problem!

Never before in our history have people in general been so far removed from the world around us. We like the idea of the countryside, we have opinions about it, but no real knowledge. The same applies to our food, we make decisions about what we should be eating, based on the opinions of others, with no more knowledge than ourselves. Somewhere along the way we have lost some of those basic joys that link us to the world around us. Simple things like picking fruit from the hedgerows or catching a fish from the river. To be able to identify a butterfly or a garden bird. These are the things we’ve lost. The principle of New woods is to bring together, farming, forestry, conservation and tourism and in the process creating something better for the future.

Our first site, in the marshland area, South of King’s Lynn, was until three years ago intensely farmed land. It now boosts an area of hazel coppice, four alpaca paddocks, hedges and most importantly, a tents only camp site with the camping and caravanning club (members only). Later in the year we plan to begin Alpaca experiences around the site and surrounding area, it is also our hope to add caravans to the licence once the trees have reached a good height. Ultimately we believe this will become something our guests will watch grow with us, over the years and decades to come.

The Marshland site is our first, but we hope, with the help of our guests, it won’t be our last. It’s not such a wild idea that tourism can be a good thing. Ultimately, for humans to fully respect and understand the British countryside they need to get something out of it. We think this might be a way!