Here at the Mendip Hills AONB Service we always love the opportunity to get out and explore but we are aware that with little ones in tow it is not always easy. So, this summer we have given your youngsters a mission! We have created the Mendip Hills Explorer's Passport to help you get out and explore the Mendip Hills AONB but - be warned - you may never see the hills in the same way again!

The Passport will take you to eight locations across the Mendip Hills where you will complete a mission, this can be anything from taking a photograph of something small and beautiful, to counting how many colours you can see in the rocks (spoiler alert- a lot more than you might think!). You can then complete your passport by finding a rubbing plaque of one of the creatures or plants that make the Mendip Hills so special. The passport also contains some ideas of other ways to explore. It contains everything you need to know, including information on car parking and directions. All you need to do is print it out (single sided), tie it together with string and take some crayons along with you. When you have visited all eight locations you can contact the Mendip Hills AONB Service for your certificate. Please tag us on social media using #mendipexplorers so we can see the adventures you are having along the way.

Kelly Davies, Sustainable Recreation Officer for the Mendip Hills AONB Service said, “We created the Mendip Explorer’s Passport thanks to funding from the National Grid Community Grants Programme to encourage people to get out on the Mendip Hills and connect with nature. We hope that the passport helps people see the hills through new eyes, to discover new things and to love and care for the area”.

The passport is for anyone that wants to get out and explore but it is particularly suitable for ages 4-11 years. For more information and to download your free copy of the passport please visit www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk/exploring/passport