Look, Listen, Face, Catch and Cheer………. UP!

I have just been back to the Forestry Commissions Mamhead Sensory Trail to do some maintenance on the furniture and interpretation we designed and made eight years ago now. The 'UP' posts were to encourage people to lie down and look up through the tree canopy. Some of sweet chestnut coppice posts needed moving as they had started to decay and the trees around them had been thinned so the posts were cut off and re-planted.

I still like the up idea and the 3d arrow tops have always appealed.

We incorporated verticals into much of the furniture with the bright tree marking paint foresters use highlighting them to encourage kids to run ahead on the long straight paths. Many of the interpretation posts have perches to pause for rest and thought. The idea which never got followed through was for students from what is now The Royal Academy for Deaf Education to collect and propagate seeds from the site for native climbing plants to grow up the furniture. 

The signs and interpretation graphics were sandblasted and still look crisp and natural.

A perch point for bums of all sizes to be rested.

Interpretive graphics drawn by Mike Langman covering a wide range of topics.

Used by many local groups including those with sensory disabilities the tactile nature of the sandblasting helping make the site particularly attractive to those with a visual impairment.

There are three different species of tree to look up through.

We weren't allowed to put in fuck, feel or give but are pleased with the look, listen, face, catch and cheer UP!