Playing around the trees at Knightshayes

Designs for a new play area at Knightshayes are to inject new life into four fallen trees which were the victim of some of the worst storm damage the National Trust estate has ever seen.

The designs, which include a tree house and tunnels bored into the trunks, will form a new natural play area looking to reintroduce risky play into a safe world.

For 150 years, the cluster of four oak trees towered over the gentle rolling Devon landscape at Knightshayes – until the high winds of in the winter of 2014 resulted in all four blowing down.

Three came down in one night, casualties of a storm which caused the greatest loss of trees on the estate since 1987. The trees, which are the fastest growing specimen of oak known as turkey oaks, have since become a magnet for local families whose children have been making the most of chance to get back in touch with nature, climbing the fallen limbs and exploring the roots.

The team at Knightshayes was quick to see the opportunity to create a wild play area, which would continue to allow families to enjoy the trees while managing their decline. With that in mind, Touchwood a company specialising in natural play were commissioned to come up with a design for a play area, work for which will start in the next week.

Raef Johnson, Senior Ranger for the estate explains: “Children need and want to take risks when they play. The National Trust aims to respond to these needs and wishes by offering children stimulating, challenging environments for exploring and developing their abilities. We knew kids were already using the trees to get in touch with their wild side, and it was great to see parents allowing the introduction of a little risk into their kid’s play again.

The National Trust has had a push to try and get children and families back outdoors with their ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ campaign and we saw the trees as another great opportunity for people to get up close and personal with nature.”

The site of the play area, which sits in the parkland, is outside of the pay barrier so is free to access and heavily used by the local community, from dog walkers and running groups to the local scouts. It is hoped the play area will get more families up to Knightshayes to enjoy the community focused event programme. The works start on 25th January, and the team are planning to complete and open the play area before February half term.