PROJECTS
An engaging and immersive woodland quest linking a sculptural play hub to the forest and onward to the the Jubilee Tower ridge.
Moel Famau Country Park, North Wales
Moel Famau Country Park, in the heart of the Clwydian Range AONB, already draws walkers, families, and hill-trekkers to its iconic Jubilee Tower summit. We were commissioned by Natural Resources Wales to extend and enrich the visitor experience by designing a nature play hub at the woodland arrival zone, and a “track-find-identify” Nature Play Trail deeper into Coed Moel Famau that encourages families to wander, explore and engage with wildlife.
Since opening, the trail has become a family favourite for combining light structured play and walking. The rubbings give younger children a confident start, while the hunt invites them to push further. Many stop mid-way, recharge, then continue up to the Jubilee Tower; making the woodland play zone a true portal into hill walking.
Feedback from visitors highlights how the trail “made the woods magical” and “gave families an excuse to wander.” Over time, the sculptures have become landmarks and destinations children return to.
From a design perspective, this project reinforces lessons from many of our other projects; don’t fence play in; embed clues so users act as explorers; and make the play hub a springboard, not the end point.
Completed: 2016
Client: Natural Resource Wales
Budget: £100K
The brief challenged us to create a woodland play destination that is:
- Welcoming but adventurous: for a wide age spread, from toddlers to early teens
- Connected to the wood: play that feels embedded in trees and terrain
- Exploratory : something beyond a static playground: an invitation to roam
- Links:
a springboard for visits to the Jubilee Tower and the wider hillside walks
We wanted to avoid the “play area ends here” effect. Instead, the Nature Play Trail is designed as a discovery loop of 10 stations: starting at the hub, children make brass rubbings of animal footprints on tree stumps, then follow clues into the woods to find matching carved animal sculptures further on, and finally use a downloadable “Nature Detective” guide to name, learn and confirm their finds. The trail’s real aim is to tempt people deeper into the forest and (for those able) up to the Jubilee Tower for spectacular views.
Key Features & Highlights
- 10 footprint brass rubbing stumps: each one shows a different animal track.
- 10 matching carved animal sculptures, created by Simon O’Rourke.
- Downloadable Interpretation guide: species names, facts, prompts and trail map
- Nature Playground: climbing nests, basket swing, water play and stepping stones.
- Wayfinding to summit: signage subtly nudges families to link into the Jubilee Tower. Circular for those wanting a full hillside walk
- Materials & resilience: sustainably UK soured hardwood timber
