“Alice’s Arboretum” tree trail: Larkhall residents favourite trees in Alice Park

Bath Urban Treescape, the Alice Park Trustees and Bathscape Landscape Partnership are excited to announce the plans for Bath‘s first Family Friendly tree trail for Alice Park.

Designed by a multidisciplinary team of tree & Bath enthusiasts, there are already four tree trails through the city of Bath and the council ward of Twerton, which are supported by free paper maps and a website.

The team wish to encourage even more Bath & NE Somerset residents and visitors to explore the city through its trees with a Family Friendly tree trail.
More suggested activities for children and families to enjoy will be included and reward stickers will be available for families completing the 12-tree trail.

The process started off on the Monday Bank Holiday 6th May, when visitors to the Alice Park Larkhall Festival event were invited to vote for their favourite trees from a short list of 26. Participants were given a strip of stickers and set off to visit the trees and place the stickers on signs by the trees in the park. More than 70 people voted and many more noticed the event and chatted to the organisers about trees and their significance and value.

Votes cast indicated the 12 trees for the Family Friendly tree trail and the 20 tree instances for the general park trail, to be published later in the year.
The overall conclusion of the voting was that Alice Park’s favourite tree is the Blue Atlas Cedar.

To access the current trails, visit the website: https://www.bathurbantreescape.com/
Free paper maps are available in the Bath Leisure Centre foyer, Prior Park Secret Garden café and the Bath Urban Garden.
They can be requested via the contact page on the website or email the team at hello@bathurbantreescape.com and they will be happy to deliver them.

The Urban Treescape project is backed by the Bathscape Landscape Partnership, of which B&NES Local Authority is one of the key partners.

Cllr Joanna Wight, Chair of the Alice Park Committee said,

“Alice Park is valued by generations of residents in Bath, who have spent time under the trees, climbing the trees or just enjoying being with the trees. The project to deliver the first family tree trail in the city means that many of us will now be able to identify and know more about the trees in Alice Park.

Alice Park was given to children to play in. It was clear on speaking to many people who attended the Alice Park Family Fun Day at the Larkhall Festival just how important this map will be for young people.”

Mary La Trobe-Bateman, Larkhall local resident and Alice Park fan said,

“It was great to see so many families taking part in the tree voting project during theLarkhall Festival. They were intrigued by the idea of a tree map and particularly pleasedthat there will be a special one for the younger children – as well as one for parents!”

Hugh Williamson, member of the Bath Urban Treescape team said,

“It was wonderful to see this lovely space so full of people. Their favourite trees are clearlythose with striking colours – blue, red, pink – or dramatic shapes – spikes, towers andpyramids. Alice Park has an abundance of both, and is the perfect setting for a family-friendly tree trail.”