South Lakeland school children visit art installation in Grizedale

Pupils from two South Lakeland schools have visited the Clockword Forest at Grizedale – which was inspired by their ideas. The children from Leven Valley CE Primary School and Hawkshead and Esthwaite Primary School were shown the new art installation on Grizedale’s Ridding Wood trail on Thursday, 1^st December.

Taking the form of large clockwork keys, which when turned trigger the playing of recorded musical compositions hidden within the undergrowth, the ‘Clockwork Forest’ concept was created by artists "greyworld" following creative sessions with the school children.

Ian Nicol, head teacher at Leven Valley CE Primary School, said: “It was great for the children to be involved with the Forestry Commission locally in an exciting project to reinvigorate the Ridding Wood trail. They have been involved right from the start with the artists in the conceptual stage through to the finished article. The children were really enthused by the key design and the music that comes from turning them. They were very excited to be able to go and interact with them and they were interested to see how their ideas had been turned into reality.”

Hayley Skipper, the Forestry Commission's Curator of Arts Development at Grizedale Forest, said: “This has been a fantastic opportunity to involve children from both primary schools at either end of the Grizedale Forest valley in the development of this innovative new sculpture. Seeing the children exploring the piece and writing their own stories, inspired by the soundtrack of the musical sculpture installation, has been very inspiring and rewarding for everyone involved and we really look forward to introducing lots more children and young people to The Clockwork Forest in the future.”