ADVENTUROUS youngsters were given a crash course in outdoor cooking when they paid a visit to a nature haven.

Kirsty Groves, education and community officer at Essex Wildlife Trust, delighted in taking a group of children into the peaceful tranquility of Fingringhoe Wick, near Colchester.

She showed the youngsters how to properly prepare and craft a fire.

The children then enjoyed eating treats cooked over the flames, including pancakes and marshmallows.

Kirsty said: “It’s about getting children outside and connecting them with nature.

“I am hoping by getting them active and participating in these activities it will inspire a love of life around us and a love of nature.”

She added: “It is also important to make them feel comfortable outdoors in this kind of environment.”

The campfire cooking session is one of several held for youngsters at Fingringhoe Wick.

The trust also runs den building sessions and a forest school for children.

The 200-acre nature reserve is situated on the banks of the River Colne. It includes a diverse range of habitats, from heathland, woodland and scrub to ponds and lakes.

There are ten ‘hides’ from which visitors can watch wildlife, while a visitor centre offers light lunches and snacks.

Events for children typically run throughout school holidays, with more information at essexwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/fingringhoe.