Newport Pagnell

Delivering interpretive activity trails for all ages.

Totally blown away with how good this all is. I have seen books professionally produced by so-called experts that would not come anywhere near your work. They are as I have said before brilliant.

Newport Pagnell Town Council

Following on from an earlier stage of a wider project ( see separate case study ). This third, and largest, phase had a remit to engage people of all ages with the town’s varied natural environments, wildlife and built heritage through the use of town activity trails. A smartphone-based trail had been separately commissioned and this needed to work alongside the new trails to deliver an integrated offer.

Planning was always going to be critical to the success of these trails and a detailed process of research and consultation was conducted. That involved walking proposed trail routes, collecting evidence of wildlife activity, and evaluating what children’s activities could take place safely in which locations. Maltings worked very closely with project author and wildlife expert Carol Parr, as well as representatives from the town council, and also involved manufacturers at an early stage to be sure the various interventions could be afforded within the fixed budget. A final strategy evolved that called for six trails:

• An adult Heritage Trail – exploring the town’s built heritage.

• An adult Ecological trail – which we branded ‘Wildlink Trail’ due to it linking four distinct natural areas.

• Four children’s/family activity trails each following the routes of the adult ‘Wildlink Trail’.

Content for the two adult trails would be supported by the app (for which Maltings supplied content), as well as a series of interpretive installations. This included interpretation lecterns, panels and a bird hide which was a first for the Maltings, being made entirely from recycled black plastic – chosen for longevity due to the necessity of being installed in an area prone to winter flooding. The overriding message with the ecological trail was to increase awareness of the wonderful, yet delicate habitats surrounding the town and also encourage respectful use of the environments.

The four family trails were branded and illustrated with friendly characters that would occupy the habitat – an Otter, Skylark, Dragonfly and Kingfisher. These characters would appear throughout each leaflet to guide families through the activities, helping to facilitate an engaging, fun experience with beneficial learning outcomes. Additionally, interventions were installed at various sites along the routes to tie in with the trails, such as storytelling chairs, activity benches and rubbing posts. The adult interpretation also displayed the characters to encourage family use. Completion of each trail invites the child to collect a sticker from the council offices to celebrate their success and encourage more exploration to ‘complete the set’.

A wonderful project that was a delight to research, create and implement – and an extremely valuable resource for the council, locals and visitors alike.