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Troopers Hill - Fun Learning Trails
These trails were installed in 2013 and are no longer maintained, some of the markers may be missing.
Please Contact Us for advice if you are bringing a group to follow the trails.
Information for schools
or youth groups organising visits
General Information
For your first visit Friends of Troopers Hill will be happy to find volunteers to help you, subject to their availability. We tested this approach with Summerhill Academy and all staff on the visit felt confident about bring classes again without support.
To avoid clashes with other school visits or planned work on Troopers Hill or to ask for volunteer support, please Contact Friends of Troopers Hill
The Friends would also be pleased to advise you on compiling your Risk Assessment for the day.
Prior learning
It would be helpful for the children to have some basic map skills, including how to take a grid reference and perhaps, how to use a compass
Top tip
In trials with groups of about 15 children it worked well to choose a different child to find the next symbol each time
Equipment for site visit
Clipboards
Spare paper /drawing tools
Magnifying glasses/bug collectors
Compasses
Cameras to encourage children to draw/record any wildlife they encounter that are not mentioned on the trails
You can look at and download the three challenge sheets (pdf) for each of the three trails below, together with factsheets and word search. Alternatively you can download all the sheets as a single pdf file here:
All challenges and information as a single pdf file (6MB)
At the bottom of the page are links to information on this website and elsewhere that school teachers might find useful for further study. Please let us know if you find links to other information that other groups might find helpful and we will add it.
There is also a Woodland Trail with four carved waymarkers where you can take rubbings Woodland Trail Page >>
How to Get to Troopers Hill
Starting Point directions and map for all trails
| ▲ General Information | ▼ Further Study Resources |
Copper Trail - trees, mammals or creatures of the night
Copper Trail Factsheet
Pictures and information on the seven trees, mammals and creatures of the night on this trail
Copper Trail Discovery Challenge
Aim: to engage, introduce species identification and map skills
Easy - suitable for 6-8s
Allow 30-45 mins
Copper Trail Grid Challenge
Aim: to engage, introduce species identification and more advanced map skills
Medium: 7-9s
Copper Trail Compass Challenge
Aim: to engage, introduce species identification and more advanced map skills
Challenging: 8-11s
Trees, mammals and creatures of the night word search
Brass Trail – plants, birds and a reptile
Brass Trail Factsheet
Pictures and information on the seven plants and birds and a reptile you can find on this trail
Brass Trail Discovery Challenge
Aim: to engage, introduce species identification and map skills
Easy - suitable for 6-8s
Allow 30-45 mins
Brass Trail Grid Challenge
Aim: to engage, introduce species identification and more advanced map skills
Medium: 7-9s
Brass Trail Compass Challenge
Aim: to engage, introduce species identification and more advanced map skills
Challenging: 8-11s
Plants and birds and a reptile word search
Zinc Trail – creepy, poisonous or sweet things
Zinc Trail Factsheet
Pictures and information on the nine creepy, poisonous or sweet things you can find on this trail
Zinc Trail Discovery Challenge
Aim: to engage, introduce species identification and map skills
Easy - suitable for 6-8s
Allow 30-45 mins
Zinc Trail Grid Challenge
Aim: to engage, introduce species identification and more advanced map skills
Medium: 7-9s
Zinc Trail Compass Challenge
Aim: to engage, introduce species identification and more advanced map skills
Challenging: 8-11s
Creepy, poisonous or sweet things word search
The butterfly identification sheet from the Field Studies Council is useful additional material for this walk. Children can identify some of the creatures featured on this walk using this sheet and may find others on the wing in the right season.
All Trails – information sheets in packs as single pdf files
The 4 packs below contain all the sheets for all the trails between them, or download as one large file.
Discovery Challenges pack, with start map & factsheets (2.6MB)
Word Search Pack
Grid & Compass Challenges pack (2MB)
How to Get to Troopers Hill
All challenges and information as a single pdf file (6MB)
