Families across Hampshire are invited to explore their local chalk streams this May half term with the help of Chalk Stream Quest, a series of new interactive walking trails designed especially for children.
Delivered by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust in partnership with Wessex Rivers Trust, the project is part of the Watercress & Winterbournes Landscape Partnership, bringing together conservation, storytelling and outdoor play to help local communities discover the remarkable wildlife living in their nearby rivers and streams.
Chalk Stream Quest features eight family-friendly walking routes on existing footpaths and green spaces across Hampshire. Each walk includes a trail of QR codes which, when scanned on a phone, unlock short, animated videos introducing children and adults to the species that depend on chalk streams.
From kingfishers and otters to brown trout, water voles and the rare southern damselfly, the videos bring these hidden river residents to life and help families understand why chalk streams are so special – and so important to protect. Designed with primary-age children in mind, the trails encourage learning through exploration and curiosity.
Unlike destination attractions, the trails are aimed at local people, many of whom may already know these routes but will now see them in a new way. Most walks follow well-used paths through towns, villages and nature reserves, making them easy to fit into everyday family life.
