Help map Winsford's conker trees
Find known conker trees, check locations and help add ones we have missed.
Locations are based on public records and community observations. Submitted trees are reviewed before being marked as confirmed.
Best currently reported conker spots
Confirmed and likely trees near Winsford and Darnhall. Conkers aren't guaranteed, this shows what's been reported so far.
Know a conker tree we have missed?
Drag the pin if the tree isn't quite where the map shows.
What can you see?
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Verify a tree
Use diagnostic features. Missing evidence is neutral; conflicting evidence counts against the identification.
Conker School
The rules, the playground lore, and how to get your first conker fight-ready.
The basics
Drill (or carefully pierce) a hole through the centre and thread a cord about 20cm long. Tie a big knot at the bottom so it can't slip back through.
Stand about a metre apart. One player holds their conker dangling still, the other takes the swing.
Traditionally three strikes each before swapping over β playgrounds vary, so agree the rule before the first swing.
First to shatter the other's conker wins the bout.
Keeping score
A brand-new conker starts at zero and levels up every time it wins a bout.
Some playgrounds hand over the loser's score too, so beating a five-er can jump you straight to a six-er. Worth agreeing which version you're playing before you start.
Playground lore
Strings tangled mid-swing? First to shout it gets a free extra go.
Knocked their conker clean off its string? Shout it fast enough and you can stamp it to bits on the ground β unless they beat you to "No stamps!" first.
Picking a champion conker
Look for hard, round conkers with no cracks, dents or soft patches.
Drop it in water. Sinks means solid β keep it. Floats means it's gone soft inside β bin it.
A smaller conker is a harder target to land a clean hit on, and often has fewer weak spots than a big one.
Toughening it up
None of this is required to play. All of it helps if you're taking it seriously.
A year in a cool, dry drawer is the classic method, and the hardest to argue with.
Roughly 120Β°C in the oven for about two hours, then let it cool completely before threading.
A few days in vinegar, sometimes baked afterwards for extra hardness.
A layer of clear nail varnish once it's completely dry.
Officially, none of this is allowed. The World Conker Championships supplies conkers on the day specifically to keep hardening out of it. Treat your own however you like for a garden match β just don't turn up to an official one with a baked conker and a straight face.
Play safe
Conkers travel fast and unpredictably. Safety specs or glasses are worth it for enthusiastic swings.
Hold the string, not the conker, once your opponent's swinging.
An adult should handle piercing the hole.