The Lyrics, Leaves and Lives audio trail launched at Queenswood on Wednesday 17th April 2019.

The trail begins in the red phone box at the Queenswood Visitor Centre before taking visitors on a journey through the Arboretum.

At each audio point visitors will find a wind-up audio device recessed into a beautiful oak monolith. Each audio device has been programmed with eight tracks of including poetry, people’s stories of their visits to Queenswood, historical information about the site, bird song and a dedicated children’s trail.

People’s stories and memories of have been collected through a volunteer-led oral history project. The volunteers received training from Oral History Society accredited trainer Julia Letts before 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 surroundings as they follow the trail through the woodland.

The path winds through the Arboretum, on surfaced paths, for approximately 1 mile and is suitable for all ages. The Arboretum boasts a wonderful show of spring blossom at this time of year making it the perfect time to experience the new trail.

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 and I’m so happy that we have been able to uncover so much interesting historical information and varied personal memories of this much-loved country park and Arboretum. The new trail is a really lovely, unique way to experience this precious place in a different way and is definitely worth the visit.”

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 that has seen over £100,000 invested in upgrading the visitor experience at Queenswood Country Park and Arboretum.