A NEW trail will be launched at Queenswood in time for the Easter holidays.

Beginning in the red phone box at the Queenswood Visitor Centre, the audio trail takes visitors on a mile-long journey through the Arboretum.

Carved oak monoliths have been installed through the woodland, each with a wind-up audio device playing poetry, people’s stories of their visits to Queenswood, historical information about the site, bird song and a dedicated children’s trail.

The stories and memories have been collected through an oral history project, with trained volunteers meeting people from the local community to find out why Queenswood is special to them.

The poetry for the trail has been recorded in partnership with Ledbury Poetry Festival and includes evocative poems specifically chosen to connect the listener with their woodland surroundings.

Rose Farrington, Queenswood Heritage Gateway Project Officer said:

“It has been a fantastic experience finding out why Queenswood is so special to so many people.

"The commitment of the volunteers to this project has been incredible."

The trail has been developed with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development as part of the Queenswood Heritage Gateway project.