Sculpture Trails
We absolutely love discovering a sculpture trail in a woodland, it transforms a forest into a journey that just needs to be discovered. Some of these sculptures have been created from fallen trees, which whilst beautiful, means they change throughout time and decay, giving back to nature, so these sculptures will inevitably change over time.
Towerhouse Wood
A small woodland that houses the wonderful Ty Sculpture Trail, which commemorates the life of a young man who grew up in one of the houses nearby. He loved the woods so much that his family decide to honour his memory with a great sculpture trail, perfect for young children. Take some paper and crayons along with you for some rubbings. Try to find the bubbling pond on the way!
Stoke Park Estate
An exceptional estate, with sweeping green parkland, pockets of woodland and views across Bristol. Located in the parkland is Hermitage Wood, which houses an amazing group of sculptures, carved out of fallen trees. Try to find the owls, squirrels and snakes hiding in the woodland!
The Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail
An amazing forest, renowned for its sculpture trail, created in the 1980s to showcase artworks that were developed and inspired by the place. The sculptures do change in the forest from time to time, but our favourite is definitely the hanging stained glass window, which you can walk under. Dogs will love being off lead here, sniffing the ground and finding sticks.
Badock’s Wood
Badock’s Wood is a lovely small woodland, nestled in urban Henleaze, with the River Trym running through. In the woodland, you will find some brilliant tree carving sculptures which reflect the local wildlife, such as hedgehogs, mice, spiders and owls.
Bennett’s Patch & White’s Paddock Nature Reserve
Not so much of a sculpture trail, but this just had to go on our list! It is home to the famous wicker whales that were showcased in 2015 in the Millennium Square to highlight plastic pollution. The whales, now decaying, still make for an awe-inspiring sight. Newly added, is the stunning sculpture of a woman’s face, named ‘Ruth’, made from thin wooden logs, dedicated to the women of Bristol during the Second World War.
