Families from across Hampshire attended to enjoy the live music, face painting and a range of outdoor games; they also learned about local wildlife by experiencing it hands on.
There was a guided nature walk around the reserve, a cryptic adventure trail with a lucky dip treasure trove at the end and den building in the woods! We also opened a moth trap to see all the different species that flew in the previous evening before releasing them back into the wild.

One attendee said: ‘We had a great time! What a lovely event! Our daughter really enjoyed being in "the wild" and of course the ice cream.’

The Big Wild Picnic was one of three events that took place across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight for the Big Wild Weekend, a national celebration of the half-way point of 30 Days Wild.

As well as the Big Wild Picnic there was the Family Nature Night at Bouldnor Forest on the Isle of Wight where participants explored the woodlands to discover nocturnal wildlife, and the Big Wild River Dip at Blashford Lakes nature reserve where families got up close to the aquatic wildlife that hides beneath the surface of the Dockens Water River.

The weekend was a great success; we can’t wait to start planning for next year.