Eight new wooden Creative Nature Boxes have been installed in Harpford Woods, near Sidmouth.The boxes provide opportunities for people to connect with nature in new ways and also encourage community feedback and suggestions. 

Each box contains a different creative prompt designed to encourage people to enjoy nature in new ways. These include calming activities from forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) and meditation, contemplative suggestions such as writing a Haiku poem and ‘thoughts for the future’ to child-friendly activities like ‘make a nature bracelet’ and ways to make a linear walking map.

The Creative Nature Boxes have been developed from a successful pilot project 'Art on the East Devon Way' led by Thelma Hulbert Gallery (THG) with East Devon AONB Partnership and Clinton Devon Estates in 2017, where artist Lizzy Humber produced several engaging story jars which were hidden in the woods.

The Creative Nature Boxes will house further new activities over the coming months, as Double Elephant Print Workshop and the East Devon AONB Partnership continue to work with community groups through a new lottery grant, Places Called Home, funded by IKEA UK and The National Lottery Community Fund.

Creative Nature Boxes, Harpford Woods, Sidmouth - find out where they are:

• Starting point Sidmouth, just off the A3052: Google Maps Plus code: PP5H+XW Sidmouth / Ordnance Survey grid ref: SY 1051 9066 
• Starting point Harpford Village/Newton Poppleford: Google maps plus code: PP47+VGQ Sidmouth / Ordnance Survey grid ref: SY 0925 9051