Forest of Dean sculpture trail planned for visitors

Visitors to the Forest of Dean will be able to enjoy a new sculpture trail if plans are approved by the council.

The Forest to Forest trail will run alongside the existing sculpture trail at Beechenhurst Lodge in Coleford, Gloucestershire, which attracts 300,000 visitors annually.

The eight new artworks will include a canopy made of 1,600 recycled plastic bottles, and arms hugging trees.

If approved, the new trail is planned to be in place for up to six months.

Other artworks include wildflower paintings, dozens of red bugs made from trowels crawling up trees and a poem cut into a steel cylinder.

Organisers said the installations would not be fenced off and would not require any clearance of trees, shrubs or other fauna to install.

The artworks will also have no signage so visitors can make their own minds up on what the sculptures represent.

Forest trustees hope the shorter, family-friendly and accessible trail will attract more visitors as the UK starts to recover from the pandemic and social distancing restrictions are relaxed.

The Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail was originally established in 1986 as a joint project between the Forestry Commission and the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol.

The new plans have been submitted to Forest of Dean Council, which is expected to consider the scheme by 16 June.