Lantern Light Trail

In October 2025, as part of the Species Survival Fund project, we hosted a Lantern trail in the early evening at Shire Brook Valley Nature Reserve. With around 700 visitors, it was a truly joyous, magical occasion.

The lanterns were made from willow in workshops with artist Ruby Fox and members of the public. Each lantern represented a species that can be seen here in the valley: swifts, elephant hawkmoths, foxes, grass snakes, owls, badgers, a variety of fungi and smooth newts.

Each lantern has been donated to be used again for as long as possible. You can find the fox at Woodhouse Library. 

Artist Ruby Fox working on the lanterns.

Sunset at Shire Brook Valley. Photo by Freddie Lee.

Badger lantern. Photo by Jessica Burns.

Newt lantern. Photo by Jessica Burns

Grass snake lantern. Photo by Jessica Burns.

Fox lantern. Photo by Jessica Burns.

Fly agaric lantern. Photo by Freddie Lee.