Discover a wilder side of autumn at Oriel y Parc
Autumn wildlife, Halloween adventures and creative family activities will sweep through Oriel y Parc, National Park Discovery Centre this half-term, with a packed programme inspired by the season and the dramatic landscapes of Britain’s only truly coastal National Park.
The darker side of the season comes into focus on Sunday 25 October with a Creatures of the Night Workshop, exploring the hidden world of nocturnal wildlife – while bat headdress making on Monday 26 October and clay monster making on Wednesday 28 October carry the after-dark theme into more creative territory.
A Biofluorescent Night Walk on Thursday 29 October will take visitors through St Davids with a National Park Ranger, using UV torches to reveal the vivid hidden colours of lichens, plants and insects.
Subject to enough apples being available, Apple Day will also take place on Thursday 29 October. Visitors can bring their own apples or use fruit picked from the National Park Authority’s orchard at St Brides and make fresh juice. Alongside the pressing, families can race apple boats, make apple bird feeders and enjoy seasonal activities in the courtyard. Anyone hoping to take juice home is encouraged to bring a suitable container.
Running throughout the school holidays, a Wizard’s Spell Trail will add another touch of Halloween magic, inviting young visitors to search the woods, tower and courtyard for the missing ingredients needed to complete a spell and collect a treat.
Rachel Perkins, Manager of Oriel y Parc, said:
“Half-term is a chance to slow down a little, spend time together and enjoy something you might not normally make time for. Our October events are all about giving families reasons to explore, create and discover together, with Oriel y Parc as the starting point for a day that can carry on out into St Davids and the National Park.”
There will be plenty more to enjoy throughout the autumn, with local makers at the Makers Bizarre Craft Fair on Tuesday 27 October and the Autumn Craft Market on Saturday 31 October, offering handmade crafts, produce and gift ideas ahead of Christmas.
Three exhibitions will also be on show during the season, including Helen Chadwick: Body and Landscape, featuring work inspired by the Pembrokeshire landscape; Fishguard Arts Society’s multi-sensory Drawn to the Sound; and Sister Shores, exploring the connections between the coasts of Pembrokeshire and Waterford.
Booking is required for the Creatures of the Night Workshop and Biofluorescent Night Walk. Other activities are drop-in unless stated otherwise.
For full details and booking information, visit www.orielyparc.co.uk.
