It’s snowdrop season in the Pilgrim Roots region!
These simple flowers are always seen as a sign of spring and a promise of better things to come. Each year, the woodland setting around Babworth Church is covered in dainty white flowers in late January and early February.
Usually, All Saints Church opens its doors to visitors at this time, offering refreshments, raising funds and hosting talks on topics such as the local non-conformist and pilgrim connections. If you’re lucky enough to live in or near Retford, you can still head to Babworth and admire the wonderful natural display as part of your daily exercise. A 90 minute walk could take you from one pilgrim church (the town centre St Swithun’s), out to Babworth around the grounds, and back again.
Families could use a trip out to Babworth or another pilgrim site to enrich their home-based learning. There are some exciting activities such as scavenger hunts suggested in Living Streets’ #WalkingFromHome booklet.
A visit to Babworth is a safe way to take your daily exercise, and you could even bring a flask of tea to enjoy! Just be sure to maintain social distancing if there are others enjoying the peaceful setting while you are there. The Pilgrims Trail display board at the site offers information about key figures and the importance of Babworth in the story of the religious rebels who became Mayflower pilgrims.
If you do visit Babworth Church over the coming weeks and take any photos, we’d love to see them! Tag us @PilgrimRoots in your social media posts, or email info@pilgrimroots.co.uk – we’d be thrilled to see pictures of snowdrops and the signs of spring wherever you are too! We’re collating the images and hosting them in our Snowdrop Gallery so that everyone can enjoy the cheery sights.
There’s still plenty of ways to get involved even if Babworth is not nearby for you. You can watch our Where It All Began video filmed at Babworth, or listen to our podcast trail on our pilgrims trail page. You can also make your own snowdrops with our quick and easy tutorial. They’d bring a hint of spring into your home, or brighten a day if posted to someone you’re missing this spring.