On 24th July 2024, I had noticed that the government’s Rural England Prosperity Fund was advertising capital grants of up to £50,000 for local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities, especially those which delivered improvements to local rural green spaces. It seemed like an opportunity too good to miss!
Working with Epping Forest’s Superintendent, we made contact with the Economic Development team at Epping Forest District Council (EFDC), who administer bids to the Fund and we pitched the idea of celebrating the Brambly Hedge story books, which were written about fictional characters, but based in real locations across Epping Forest. We wondered if it might be possible to create a woodland sculpture trail with a far more accessible path, to allow those with different needs to enjoy the Forest and it’s imaginative heritage links.
Our wonderful Officer team at Epping Forest had drawn up a joint application to the Fund, alongside EFDC, for £48,745. The trail was designed to have 17 5ft wood carved characters from the books connecting the Visitor Centre with Connaught Water, crossing the boundary from the Epping Forest district in Essex to Waltham Forest in London. 12 sculptures around Connaught Water were created and installed from the Fund, with a further 5 sculptures around the Hunting Lodge and Visitor Centre, paid for by the City of London Corporation.
Each sculpture has the name of the character carved in wood and braille, and it has different textures for those with differing neurodiversity needs.
Earlier this year, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, formally broke ground on the new pathway (named Gloucester Ride to celebrate his 50th anniversary as Range of Epping Forest. As Ranger, the Duke keeps a close eye on protections and improvements around the Forest, in accordance with his responsibilities outlined in the Epping Forest Act 1878.
Local Member of Parliament, Sir Iain Duncan Smith also visited in March to check on the project’s progress and see the path improvements and newly installed wood carved characters.
Today, was our opportunity to bring all of our stakeholders together to celebrate the project’s completion and we were delighted to be joined by the Sir Iain, the Baroness Borwick (Chair of Visit England), the Chairman of Epping Forest District Council, the author of Brambly Hedge’s surviving children, alongside local Councillors, students and Epping Forest staff.
Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee, Caroline Haines, said: “This new trail is a wonderful addition to the wide range of family-friendly activities in Epping Forest. It offers an inclusive and engaging way for visitors of all ages and abilities to connect with nature across ‘the green lungs of London’. With over one million trees, some of which are up to 1,000 years old, it’s easy to see where Jill Barklem found her inspiration – and I am confident it will spark a sense of discovery and enjoyment for many more generations to come.”
Jill Barklem’s daughter, Lizzie, added: “This wonderful sculpture trail is a very fitting part of the celebrations for the 45th anniversary of Brambly Hedge. Jill drew huge inspiration from Epping Forest and we hope that the trail will inspire more generations of families to spend time outside throughout the seasons, and stop to look a little deeper into the beauty and intricate detail of this remarkable woodland.”
We are encouraging visitors to start their Brambly Hedge adventure at the Epping Forest Visitor Centre where Trail packs are available for just £3. Each pack includes a leaflet, interactive map, and themed pencil. Young explorers who discover all 17 characters can return to the Centre to claim their special “completer’s” sticker!
My thanks to all of the team for their hard work on drawing this much appreciated project together and let’s hope many more young minds explore the Brambly Hedge books available to buy in the visitor centre.
Photo credit: Yvette Woodhouse, City of London Corporation