Handcrafted lanterns were made by local volunteers to educate visitors about the importance of conservation and wildlife.
As the sun set at RSPB Old Moor on Friday and Saturday, families were welcomed to explore the darkness to spot lanterns of animals who reside on the site at springtime.
Organiser, Julian Mayston, said: “When you look around everything you see is actually built by volunteers, that’s huge.
“It’s just a fantastic way to open up the doors to the nature reserve to a new audience, getting see the nature reserve in a different way.”
From dragonfly, kingfisher and even a dinosaur, each animal takes months of hard work for it to be ready and waterproof for the event.
The main structure is made of willow, as it is both light and flexible, then it is covered with layers of wet strength tissue and PVA to make sure it can withstand any rain.
“After waterproofing you have to do all the mechanisms inside, some of that will be working to help attach wings, but for this one it’s working out how the wheels move,” said the volunteer who operated the hedgehog. “So this has oval wheels that make the hedgehog wobble from side to side when it walks.
“Usually it takes a few months to go from the design stage to complete and it is from volunteers that do the work, which is amazing, so we get to come along on Wednesday or Sunday do to some arts and crafts.”
Along with the trail, visitors took part in workshops and crafts to learn about the animals on display, and the importance of looking after the environment.
Children were encouraged to make paper lanterns which they could bring round the trail and take home with them at the end of the night as a souvenir.
“Our granddaughter loved all the activities and as well as lanterns,” said one of the visitors. “I’d recommend it to anyone.”
The younger visitors were also invited to write a wish on a paper leaf or butterfly to hang on a tree.
Below are those wishes, ranging from ‘world peace’, ‘for all to be happy’, and ‘a cheese burger’:
The money raised from the event will go directly towards the upkeep of the reserve, supporting vital conservation work at RSPB Old Moor.
