Heligan Rangers: Bug hunting and soil science

  • 9th Apr 2026: 10am - 11.50am
  • 9th Apr 2026: 1pm - 2.50pm

Book your places

Crumbly compost, wriggling worms, tangled roots, scurrying beetles, worm casts, rich dark earth… Can you become a Heligan Nature Detective and uncover the incredible secret world hiding just beneath our feet?

Head off to the wilder corners of Heligan to explore the garden's log piles, leaf litter, and garden beds, armed with an investigation kit full of pots, magnifying glasses, digging tools, and identification sheets to help you discover what lies beneath.

Please note:

Children must only be booked onto one workshop each day. Please don’t worry about missing out though, we will run these workshops again. Keep an eye on our website for updates and future sessions.

Heligan Rangers

Ready to become a Heligan Ranger?

These unique, enriching day experiences are set in the heart of the iconic Lost Gardens of Heligan. Designed to inspire and nurture, each day offers a thoughtfully crafted mix of play, learning, and connection with the natural world.

Led by our expert outdoor team, Heligan Rangers will take part in a wide range of activities that reflect the very best of Heligan:

  • Nature-Based Wellbeing – Guided mindfulness walks, wild art, and peaceful moments under the trees help children slow down, breathe deeply, and develop a life-long bond with nature.
  • Science & Conservation – From bug hunts to bird surveys, pond dipping to plant ID, Rangers become real contributors to the Heligan landscape, learning how to observe, record and protect the natural world around them.
  • Creative & Practical Skills – Expect den building, cooking, natural crafts and storytelling around the campfire — with every day designed to build resilience, teamwork, and confidence.
Heligan Bug Hunting
  • Drop-off sessions available on Thursday, April 9 at 10am to 11.50am and 1pm to 2.50pm.
  • Each workshop is limited to 12 children between the ages of 6 and 11 years old.
  • £15 per child.

Book your places here

Heligan Rangers - Register your interest

We kindly ask that you notify us as soon as possible, and ideally no less than 48 hours in advance if you need to cancel your booking. Cancellations made after this time may not be eligible for a refund.

Please meet us in The Hollow at the start of your session time. We will be available to meet you in the Hollow at least 15 minutes before the session start time. The Hollow is to the right of the ticket office and will be signposted for you. We will be ready and waiting to meet you and your child/ren. If you are going to be more than 15 minutes late, please contact our reception team on 01726 845100.

At the end of the session, we will bring the children back to The Hollow. Please meet us there to collect your child/ren. If you are going to be more than 15 minutes late to collect your child, please let us know on 01726 845100.

We kindly request that you only make contact with the team if required urgently during the session. You can do this by contacting Heligan reception on 01726 845100. Reception will contact our team by radio to communicate any message. If it has been agreed that our team will contact you during the session – to meet the specific and agreed needs of your child/ren – we will do this at pre-arranged times.

Sessions will be led by our Learning Engagement Lead – a qualified teacher - as well as our other experienced team members. All members of the Rangers team have undertaken an enhanced DBS check and completed appropriate Safeguarding Training. We ensure that at least one member of the Rangers team on site each day is trained in Paediatric First Aid. All the team are familiar with Heligan’s Safeguarding Policy & Procedures. We will ensure a ratio of no more than 8 children to 1 member of staff.

Our Heligan Rangers Workshops are outdoor sessions – we will spend our time outside, so please ensure that your child comes equipped for the changeable Cornish weather in comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. As Wainright said “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing!”

  • Waterproofs – ideally trousers and a jacket, particularly on typical Cornish days!
  • Wellies for damp days or old trainers or similar for dry days
  • Warm clothes and layers in cold weather
  • Sunhat and sunscreen on sunnier days
  • A refillable water bottle – we have plenty of access to fresh water, so these can be refilled as needed.
  • Medication as appropriate – this must have been detailed on the consent form or, if medication requirements have changed since completing the booking form, detailed in a notification email to the Learning & Wellbeing team

Please do not send your child with a mobile phone or any other electronic devices – there will be no opportunity to use them, and we cannot guarantee their safety.

In the unlikely event that we experience high winds or adverse weather events that impact on the maintenance of safety across our gardens, we will close the site to the public and reserve the right to cancel at short notice. In this instance we would notify families as soon as possible and offer refunds or rebooking.