A perfect spring evening, a gentle glow in the trees, and a group of GoodGymers gathered outside the Phoenix Cinema ready to run, help out, and learn a thing or two about one of Barnet’s loveliest green spaces.

Before setting off, we did our usual introductions with a travel-themed twist: everyone shared their favourite country, or one they’d most like to visit. Japan came up twice, clearly a destination having a bit of a moment. Then it was time to head off at an easy jog.

Our first stop was Cherry Tree Wood for a proper warm-up. Circles on the grass, jump-ups, step-downs, high knees and a few efforts to get the heart rate rising before we pushed on towards Highgate Wood. Near the entrance, there was even a chance for a sharper burst uphill, with everyone free to take it at their own level. A proper workout, whether you fancied steady and sociable or a little blast of intensity.

Then into the woods themselves, looking especially beautiful at this time of year, with that fresh light-green glow that ancient woodland seems to do so well.

There we met Cindy the Park Ranger, who had a simple but very satisfying task lined up for us: removing a batch of stubborn stakes that had proved awkward to shift. For a GoodGym crew, this was just the sort of thing. Straightforward, useful, and oddly enjoyable. Less “pulling teeth” and more “extracting victory from the soil.”

With the stakes dealt with, Cindy treated us to a fascinating guided walk through the woods and the work being done there. We heard about plans to protect areas using “live fencing,” including holly laid and trained so it grows horizontally to form natural barriers. We learned about hornbeam, including how fallen growth can keep going in remarkable ways, and about the service tree, whose berries were once used in brewing. A tree with a pub connection is always going to get GoodGym’s attention.

We also got a glimpse into the quieter side of woodland life, with a hidden camera trained on a blue tit sitting faithfully on her eggs. From wildflower meadows to ancient tree craft to tiny birds getting on with family life, Cindy gave us a wonderful reminder that woodlands are never static. They are always changing, always being cared for, and always full of stories.

A huge thank you to Cindy for the warm welcome, the interesting tour, and the chance to help out in Highgate Wood.

After that, we headed back, and many of us rounded off the evening in the best possible way: pizza at the Phoenix.

Thanks to everyone who came along to run, learn, laugh, and do some good.

With the help of two brilliant conservationists and some great weather, I had another session at Warnham Green, this time building a dead hedge. Gathering material cleared by volunteers last week, and prepared in the interim by our hard working conservationists, we set to the patch of green by the pavement at the bottom of the slope.

This area has been much maligned, by dumping of green waste, plastics, nitrous canisters and other problems. It's also overgrown with brambles and nettles, but still gets trampled in winter. Our aim was to thin the weeds, give more space to the lovely white comfrey growing along the roadside, as well as the lesser celandine scattered through the patch, and to clear up some of the junk.

And, of course, we built a dead hedge! This will help drive footfall around the edge of the patch, so the flowers we're trying to help flourish don't get trampled.

Six Goodgymmers gathered for another double whammy of leafleting for the lovely Phoenix Cinema and the artsdepot.

A few of us were already warmed up: Daniel and Kadir trekked over from Henley's Corner to the Phoenix. Welcome toKadir forhis first session! George and Subham ran from their respective corners of Finchley. Rachel and Theodore had some catching up to do, so we set off on a long trek down into the larger houses in East Finchley.

Starting just off the Bishops Avenue, we trekked down a side road to the A1 and back again, then up Deansway to the top of Brim Hill. Then we did all the way down Brim Hill to Hill Top, followed by Hill Top to Brookland Rise, where we finally ran out of leaflets. Daniel and Kadir parted ways with us then, as they'd almost clocked 10km for the evening, while the rest of ran the remaining path back to the Phoenix.

All in, one of our longer runs, clocking in a little over 5km, excluding the many drives and pathways we walked up and down, and a great boost for cultural visibility.

An ace team of volunteers came together on the green at Warnham Road for a solid session to improve biodiversity.

Four Goodgymmers, two conservationists and a couple of neighbours gathered to mince and bash brambles, rake soil and pile up dead hedge material for the next session.

The conservationists went above and beyond, teaching us how to use the tools effectively and how to be careful with our work, checking for habitats and protecting any creatures we found.

Some could only stay an hour, others a bit longer, but huge thanks to the die hard conservationists for staying for over 4 hrs to get the main tasks finished!

We'll be back soon to try and get a few more tasks finished before spring warms up, to give seeds that have been choked by bramble the best chance of flourishing.