Woodland Connections

Woodland Connections At Woodland Connections we provide nature connection well-being based sessions in Derbyshire woodlands for children, for adults and for families.
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Private bookings, birthdays, staff well-being etc. Based in Shining Cliff and Shaw Wood but happy to travel!

My head was too full. So I spent a while looking at sticks. I highly recommend it - especially if you have a magnifying ...
22/08/2026

My head was too full. So I spent a while looking at sticks. I highly recommend it - especially if you have a magnifying glass 🔍💚

DON'T MISS OUT!FREE taster session for Home Educating families ✨Join us in Shining Cliff Woods on Tuesday 1st September ...
21/08/2026

DON'T MISS OUT!
FREE taster session for Home Educating families ✨
Join us in Shining Cliff Woods on Tuesday 1st September to say hello, see where we are and what we get up to. Or if you've attended our sessions before, come along and get back into the swing of things after the summer break.

Our Home Ed sessions offer a relaxed setting and the opportunity for home educating families to connect outdoors, with optional nature related activities on offer for both children and adults, with no pressure to do anything other than experience time together in the woods.
With a forest school ethos, our main focus is on child led learning through play.

So come and find out if what we offer is a good fit for your family.
Please help us share this with any home educating families that you know.
We can't wait to welcome new families and see our regulars again 😀

Places are limited and must be booked in advance.

Only 6 places still available for this day of indulgence and relaxation. Based at the Coach House Health & Wellness Cent...
20/08/2026

Only 6 places still available for this day of indulgence and relaxation. Based at the Coach House Health & Wellness Centre in Alfreton, a cosy retreat for the day.
Includes:
🌳 Forest Bathing
💚 Semantic Yoga
✨ Guided hand massage with essential oils
🍁 Mindful craft activity
🎶 Sound Bath
🧘‍♀️ Guided meditation
🥣 Healthy lunch
☕️ Hot and cold drinks throughout the day

A huge thank you to Claire for being a part of our Woodland Connections team these last few months. Any of you who atten...
19/08/2026

A huge thank you to Claire for being a part of our Woodland Connections team these last few months. Any of you who attended our sessions with Claire will agree that she brought so much kindness, and care and of course, fabulous crafts for us to try. We're so grateful that she was able to step in when needed but wish her so much luck with the amazing project that she's moving on to. We know that she will do amazing things in the community. Please take a look at Alfreton CAN and the new community garden in Alfreton as part of Grow Outside CIC
So sad to say goodbye to you in the woods, but will see you again soon elsewhere x 💚

Wonderful weaving in the woods yesterday 💚 Our Women Gathering session saw a collection of inspiring women coming togeth...
17/08/2026

Wonderful weaving in the woods yesterday 💚
Our Women Gathering session saw a collection of inspiring women coming together to enjoy time out amongst the trees. After a gentle, mindful wander we created a really fresh and healthy lunch together - no cooking over the fire this time! Then as we chatted we wove - spirals and connections guided by Claire and inspired by the roots, lichens and mycelium of the woods.
It was another beautiful day in the woodland 💚

🔥 unbelievably, people are still having fires in the woods!! So we ask a big favour from our local woodland community …A...
16/08/2026

🔥 unbelievably, people are still having fires in the woods!! So we ask a big favour from our local woodland community …

As you know, the woodland is exceptionally dry at the moment, so there is now a complete ban on fires and BBQs anywhere in Shining Cliff Woods.
We’re asking our lovely local community to help us keep an eye out.
If you see anyone lighting a fire, using a fire pit or BBQ, or having a fire anywhere in the woodland, please let us know. You can message us here or contact Shining Cliff hostel and we will deal with it by letting the relevant landowner know.
Or if necessary, just call 999

We know that approaching strangers can feel awkward — and please don’t feel that you need to confront anyone yourself. We’d much rather you stayed safe and simply let us know what you’ve seen.
This isn't about getting anyone into trouble. It’s about preventing what could be a devastating woodland fire. With the ground, vegetation and leaf litter so dry, even a small fire or ember could spread incredibly quickly.

Shining Cliff is precious to all of us, and protecting it is something we can all help with. 💚🌳
❌ No fires.
❌ No BBQs.
❌ No exceptions while the ban is in place.
And as always, take your litter home.

Thank you for keeping an eye out and helping us look after our woods. 🙏

Huge thanks to Foundation Derbyshire and The Wren Fund for supporting the continuation of our Women Gathering sessions f...
15/08/2026

Huge thanks to Foundation Derbyshire and The Wren Fund for supporting the continuation of our Women Gathering sessions from September 💚
Thanks to their generous funding, more dates have been added for these sessions to run from September till the end of January.
As before, you can join us at Shaw Wood, once a month on a Sunday and Shining Cliff Wood once a month on a Tuesday. You are more than welcome to take time out with us just the once, or become a regular in the woods with us for some breathing space from the busy world.

We're so thankful that our funders see the benefits that these sessions offer and we'd love you to be a part of Women Gathering too.

14/08/2026

NOTICE: You will see lots of new session dates being added over the next few days as I finally get chance to sit down with my jobs list!
Please be aware that there may be slight changes to timings and prices as our lottery funding draws to an end. But most of our sessions will continue and we're working away in the background to secure (hopefully🤞) more funding.

So please look out for what's coming up and book to secure your place as group sizes are always kept purposefully small for the best experience and ticket sales close at least a full day before).

Hope to see you all in the woods again soon
🌳💚🌳

Just a few sessions left in August: 💚 Women Gathering, at Shaw Wood Oakerthorpe, Sunday 16th 10am-2pm. Treat yourself to...
14/08/2026

Just a few sessions left in August:
💚 Women Gathering, at Shaw Wood Oakerthorpe, Sunday 16th 10am-2pm. Treat yourself to some time out with guided forest bathing, a healthy lunch, made and shared together, a mindful weaving craft to make and take home and time to relax and enjoy gentle conversation or snooze in a hammock!

🌳 Evening Forest Bathing at Shining Cliff Woods on Wednesday 19th, 6:30-8pm. This one hour midweek reset is a perfect way to try the mindful guided practice of forest bathing.

🌿 Midweek reset - Forest Bathing & Hammock Meditation, Wednesday 27th 7-9pm. This session is fully booked but there is a waiting list option in case of cancellations.

That’s a wrap on our kids summer adventure days! The heat has been a challenge the last couple of days, even under the s...
13/08/2026

That’s a wrap on our kids summer adventure days!
The heat has been a challenge the last couple of days, even under the shady trees. But we’ve enjoyed quieter, calmer activities and included time at the stream to cool down.
Huge thanks to all of the children that have joined us and to the adults that trusted us with your children for the day. They’ve been brilliant.
(Not sure about the kids but we’re worn out - Claire is currently relaxing in a paddling pool and Bonnie has just woken from a much needed nap!! 🤣)

Address

Shining Cliff Woods Near Ambergate
Derbyshire

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 7:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 7:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 7:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 7:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 7:30pm
Saturday 8:30am - 7:30pm
Sunday 8:30am - 7:30pm

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