GoodGym Barnet gathered at the iconic Phoenix Cinema for an evening of running and community service at Highgate Woods.

We began with a warm-up under the golden hues of a beautiful summer evening, right outside the cinema. The run took us through the picturesque Cherry Tree Woods and up to the enchanting Highgate Woods, a remnant of the ancient woodlands that once covered this area, where traces of Roman activity have been discovered.

Upon arrival, we met Cindy, the enthusiastic Highgate Woods Ranger, at the Pavilion Café in the heart of the woods. Our task was to dismantle den structures and repurpose the wood to fence off areas for regrowth. Cindy, with her deep knowledge of the local wildlife, enriched our understanding of the woodland ecosystem. She shared exciting news about a nesting hobby, a small bird of prey, that had relocated to Highgate Woods from Queenwood. To protect the chicks, the area beneath their nesting tree was cordoned off.

Cindy also spoke about her recent experience with a wildlife hospital in Rickmansworth, which cared for a pair of orphaned hedgehogs. This highlighted the growing pressures on wildlife due to human encroachment.

Working beneath the canopy of ancient trees, we dismantled the wooden dens and fenced off an area being used as a shortcut by passersby. The serene surroundings, filled with bird calls and fresh, clean air, made the task a joy. To our delight, we completed the job swiftly and took a moment to enjoy some yoga under the trees.

As the evening drew to a close, we headed home, feeling accomplished and a bit more knowledgeable about our local woodland. It was a perfect way to spend a beautiful summer evening, blending fitness, nature, and community service. Join us next time at GoodGym Barnet to experience these magical moments and make a positive impact on our environment.

**A Magical Evening with GoodGym: Running and Birding watching in HighGate Woods.

Last night, our GoodGym crew gathered at the iconic Phoenix Cinema, ready for an adventure that combined fitness, community, and nature. As the warm spring sun set, we embarked on a scenic run through Cherry Tree Woods, enjoying the crisp, clean air and the beautiful green light filtering through the trees.

Our destination: Highgate Woods, where we were greeted by Cindy, the local ranger. The evening's mission was twofold: pick up litter and locate woodpecker nests. Cindy's passion for the woods was contagious as she demonstrated how to identify a woodpecker nest, guiding us to one where we could hear the chicks calling to their parents. It was a magical moment, reminding us of the wonders of nature that surround us.

Armed with this newfound knowledge, we spread out to explore the forest. As we picked up litter, we kept our ears tuned for the telltale sounds of woodpecker chicks. By the end of the evening, we had discovered three nests and cleared away bits of litter, feeling a deep sense of connection with the woods.

Mapping the nests for Cindy, we were treated to a special view from a nearby blue tit nest camera, offering a glimpse into the lives of these beautiful birds. On our way back, we couldn't resist using the outdoor fitness equipment to add an extra boost to our run.

Returning to the Phoenix Cinema, we wrapped up the evening with refreshments and a chat, sharing our experiences and enjoying the camaraderie that defines GoodGym. It was a perfect blend of fitness, environmental stewardship, and community spirit—a truly unforgettable evening in the heart of nature.

Six GoodGym members came together to help Highgate Woods. Four gathered at Phoenix cinema to run the 2 km to meet with Cindy, the park ranger and our sixth member Karen ( and thanks for the pun!) It was a beautiful mild evening as we ran through Cherry Tree Wood and then Highgate Woods as the sun started to set. Cindy was really pleased with our last efforts, as she showed how the path that we had made, remained intact, and had diverted people away from the growing trees and shrubs. With this in mind, we started to create other forest fences for the same affect. Cindy also told us about a recent pair of nesting hobbies, that have had chicks, which is the first time in six years! She was very Hobby! A hobby is a fairly small, very swift falcon with long, narrow wings. They specialise in being superb aerialists that can catch dragonflies, and even Swifts on the wing. We finished up with some forest bathing yoga before running out of the woods. Unfortunately we weren’t quick enough to beat the locking of the gates at 8 pm. Luckily, we were limbered up enough to get over the fence and head back to the Phoenix for a warm down. Well done for Ruslan for doing a couple of sprints on the way back. Really nice to meet Yesika for the first time. Big shout out for our most reliable, runners and sisters Beattie & Rachel Thanks for coming running and doing some good!

7 Goodgymers set off on a warm sunny evening running to Highgate woods, to meet up with an 8th Karen. Our task was to hunt for dens to dismantle! Having been instructed by the ranger on a previous session, we knew to look out for wood propped up, which drys it out instead of allowing it to rot down nicely and provide habitat for insects.
We set off, with Niki and Cloud proving to be super spotters! We quickly got to work dismantling, and laying out the wood to provide protective barriers to stop people trampling too far, and we also got to finish a dismantling job from the last session and add to a pathway we'd made. See if you can spot the 'den' before and after shot in the photos. Beattie and Rachel got the prize for carrying the largest branch of the day!
Whilst we were there we also carried out a bit of citizen science using the Cornell bird i.d app, to track what birds were about that evening. In a short space of time we found the Eurasian Blackbird, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Wren, and the European Robin (who was most interested in our work!). A nice run back in the evening sunlight topped off the session.

Six GoodGym members gathered at the Phoenix Cinema to run 1 km to Highgate Woods to meet Cindy the park ranger. It’s amazing to have this mature woodland in the middle of London and a privilege to help out. What’s extra special is Cindy takes the time to tell us about nature and what’s been happening recently in the woodland. It was interesting to hear that the strange weather had delayed the onset of spring and apparently it was all happening now in a big rush. Cindy chatted about the verdant, Hornbeam and seed distribution system. The miner Bee ( see photo of nest). The need to protect the ground from trampling feet with fencing and would barriers. Besides, a little bit of litter, picking we then proceeded to dismantle wood dens and create barriers to footfall around delicate bat nests and vegetation. It was all very educational and good fun in a beautiful environment. We were done after 3/4 of an hour and headed back to the Phoenix to finish at 8:30. We did a warm down and gentle stretch.

Thanks for coming running and doing some good. ( I think it was one of the highlights of my week!)

Three GoodGym members met at the Phoenix Cinema to help the ranger at HighGate Woods. Welcome to Conor who provided documents for a DBS check as well as joining us on his first group 'run'. He joined Nicky and myself on his bike as we made the short journey to the woods. where we met Karen, Cloud. and the ranger Cindy who explained what we would be doing.

As is traditional we numbered up introduced ourselves (and chatted about our favourite restaurants). Then Cindy went on to explain about the newly erected conservation zone which we would be working in.

For the last 45 years, Highgate Wood has been managed in a way to encourage regeneration and greater diversity of the flora and fauna. By fencing areas off to create 'Conservation Areas' plants and young trees will be able to grow and creat a more diverse ground Flora include Foxgloves, Willowherb, Wild Raspberry, Bluebells and Red Campion.

Part of the preparation was to remove some of the wooden structures that had been erected inside the conservation zone. In the end we dismantled three of them thereby allowing the wood to rot into the ground and provide a habitat.

Before leaving the wood we did some tree bathing with some mindful breathing and stretches.

thanks for coming running, cycling and walking to help our local community. Hope you had fun!