Is Into The Wild the most unique hospitality, culture, and educational destination in Greater Manchester? We don’t want to make false claims, but this outdoor woodland escape, a stone’s throw from Hale and Bowdon, hidden away in woodlands at the village of Ashley, certainly has a good stab at that title. As featured on our Hidden Gems video series, founder and mastermind Adam Taylor describes this place as a “community hub for people to congregate and enjoy behind outside”, and the project began in a bid to get kids off phones and encourage them to engage with nature. Suffice to say, it worked.
Today, Into the Wild occupies a 12 acre site teeming with wildlife. Designed as a green oasis, visitors arrive via one of the set walking routes plotted from nearby centres (each suited to different ability levels), and once here will find a number of reasons to stick around. Not least the wood-fired pizza oven, from which aromas glide on the breeze and through the whispering trees. Then there’s the award-winning coffee being served up on site, too. And, for those after something a little stronger, a tantalising selection of alcoholic beverages, many from the region’s flourishing independent scene, is also available.
Far more than just somewhere to eat and drink outside, this hand built wooden world boasts a large children’s activity area, where young explorers can immersive themselves in a realm of imagination and adventure. Regular courses are on offer led by experts in the arts of foraging, bushcraft and more, with classes aimed at kids and adults alike. As dusk descends, the space switches up a gear, as al fresco cultural events become the main focal point. Regular happenings include open air film screenings and outdoor concerts, making for a truly memorable place to spend afternoons and evenings.