The Lost Words at Quarry Bank

Head to Quarry Bank this summer to experience a family adventure trail that brings to life the language of the natural world.

Explore the gardens at Quarry Bank to rediscover nature’s disappearing words with a family trail inspired by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris’s spellbook, The Lost Words.

The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris is a magical book of acrostic “spell-poems” and bewitching gold-leaf illustrations about twenty common nature words – from “acorn” to “wren” by way of “kingfisher” – at risk of disappearance from modern childhood in our increasingly urban and technologized world. It has fast captivated hearts and minds across the land since its publication.

You can either spot these natural treasures as you explore or by picking up a trail booklet from the Visitor’s Reception. Tick off the words as you find them and create your own drawings and spells to help bring the words back to life.

We love that this trail takes in the whole of Quarry Bank so both familiar and new haunts can be explored and discovered alike.

Keep your eyes peeled for other nature-related activities taking place at Quarry Bank over the school holidays. Step inside the mill to watch the machinery thunder into action or join a guided tour of the Apprentice House to learn more about where the child apprentices lived, ate and slept after a long day’s work inside the mill. With bushcraft sessions and plenty of space to run free, there’s a jam-packed day of fun to be had whatever the weather.

Venue admission charges apply. National Trust members go free.