The Secret Forest at Hazlewood Castle
If you’ve visited us before, you’ll know that there’s a great deal of woodland space lacing the outside of the Castle itself. That woodland has turned into a sanctuary for wildlife, our Hazlewood doggie’s favourite walk spot, a haven for quad biking and archery with Live For Today, an epic woodland wedding and party venue, and now most recently: The Secret Forest Trail.
I sat down with Andy and Dave, the brains and the builders behind The Secret Forest. I wanted to know how on earth they built a children’s magical trail deep in a woodland and what their inspiration was. Let’s find out, shall we?
They told me that the planning process was around two years, from the concept being presented to development. The building process itself took 18 months and is still ongoing with new additions being added weekly (so there is new fun each and every time you come)!
I asked the team where they sourced materials from, as I was interested to hear whether they had been innovative and environmentally conscious during the process. The answer? Yes, of course. It’s very clever - apart from a few exceptions (like the animatronic dragon), all materials were sourced locally where possible. Some items were even re-purposed from old Castle renovations and many were made by the team from wood found in the forest!
They used recycled materials whenever possible and aim to drive the project forward with a view to being green, green and more green. They are hugely passionate about protecting and managing the woodland, and are looking at reforesting as part of the future development on site.
I then moved away from practical and into imagination. I asked ‘what inspired you?’. They told me that the original concept/story is loosely based on historical facts from Hazlewood Castle itself. They didn’t want any old standard walk-around that simply ‘looked nice’, they were after substance and history. They took the facts, added some magic dust, and created a fairy tale that seeks to inspire and engage youngsters with a hands on experience. They wanted it to be fun, but educational. Beautiful, but full of rich information.
I asked ‘what was your favourite part of building the trail, and why?’…big question, hey! They both loved building the witches house as they let their imaginations escape them, whilst they both commented on how brilliant sculpting the dragon was - the first dragon you meet on your way in. Seeing the whole trail develop as one entity has been extremely satisfying for them both.
Fascinating, isn’t it? Andy and Dave have some exciting plans to expand the trail over the winter months. I don’t think I’m allowed to divulge them just yet, but if you keep an eye on our social media, all will be revealed soon!
Thank you for venturing deeper into The Secret Forest with me. What a project! We look forward to welcoming you into the woodlands soon.
Open daily until September 1st 10am- 4pm - Tickets £8 single ticket and £30 family of 4
Reopens on April 5th 2025 for the Easter Hoildays
