Can your kids spot one of Formby's red squirrels? A woodland mission for little wildlife detectives
Forget tickets and queues. There is a proper wild animal adventure in the pinewoods at Formby, 30 minutes from Liverpool by train, and all it needs is quiet voices, sharp eyes and some patience. Here is how to turn the walk into a mission the kids will actually want to do.
There is something a bit magical about the pinewoods at Formby.
One minute you are walking under tall trees with the kids asking how much further. The next there is a flash of rust coloured fur, a rustle in the branches, and everyone is standing perfectly still.
Was that a squirrel?
If you are lucky, it was. Formby is home to one of England's remaining populations of native red squirrels, and unlike a zoo these are completely wild, living in the pine trees half an hour up the line from Liverpool Central. Which is why spotting one feels like an actual achievement, and why this walk works better as a mission than as a walk.
Your mission: the great Formby red squirrel hunt
The brief is simple. Head into the woods, follow the paths and see how many signs of wildlife your little explorers can find. The big prize is a real red squirrel.
Here is the catch. These are not the kind of squirrels that come trotting over hoping for a crisp. They are shy, quick and very good at disappearing, and the National Trust asks you not to feed them because feeding spreads disease. The squirrels are spread through the woods now rather than gathering at the old feeding spots, so sightings are not guaranteed. That is the deal, and it is better to tell the kids that at the car park than at the end.
The good news is that there is plenty to find even if the squirrels stay hidden, and the checklist below gives them something to tick either way.
First stop: into the woods
Start from either National Trust car park. Victoria Road is the classic entrance; Lifeboat Road has the step free boardwalk to the beach if you have a buggy or a wheelchair. There are three waymarked trails from the car parks, and the pinewoods are the bit you want for squirrels.
Look up into the branches, round the trunks and along the woodland floor. Red squirrels have the bushy tails and, in winter, the ear tufts, but the colour runs from bright rust to dark brown, so do not expect every one to look like the storybook.
The trick is to slow down. Find a quiet spot, stand still for a couple of minutes and listen. You will often hear movement in the trees before you see anything. If one appears, watch from where you are. Do not chase it, and do not try to tempt it down.
Turn the walk into a challenge
Rather than announcing a walk, which goes down about as well as announcing a bath, give them a job. Can they find a pine cone that has been nibbled? Spot three birds? Hear a woodpecker? Find a feather?
Everyone gets the title of Official FamDays Wildlife Detective. It does not come with a salary, but it beats arguing about screen time.
When is the best time to see them?
Early. Red squirrels are usually most active earlier in the day, especially in autumn when they are busy stashing food, and the quieter the woods the better your chances. A weekday morning in half term beats a sunny Sunday afternoon every time.
Just do not promise anyone a squirrel. They are wild animals and under no obligation to appear. Make the adventure the reward, and if you do get that moment when one darts across a branch, it is a memory worth the early start.
Make a proper morning of it
Once the detective work is done there is no need to rush home. Take a picnic, try another path, or carry on through the dunes to the beach, which is wide, sandy and free. There is something lovely about a day that goes from quiet pinewoods to miles of sand in ten minutes.
Parking is the one cost: £9 a car at either car park for non members, free for National Trust members, and a payment at Victoria Road does not cover Lifeboat Road. Walkers, cyclists and anyone off the train pay nothing. Dogs are welcome but keep them close around the squirrels.
And if nobody spots one this time? There is always next weekend.
The FamDays verdict
A brilliant little adventure for curious kids and tired parents. It is simple, it is outdoors and it does not involve buying a ticket for every member of the family. It might even teach them that the most exciting things happen when you slow down and look.
