Can’t see the wood for the trees? Get illuminated at Moors Valley!

When: 11th – 19th February 2012

Where: Moors Valley Country Park and Forest, Dorset

£: Adults 15.50, children (5 to 16 yrs) and concessions 10 and family ticket 41.  Under 5’s go free.  Parking is included in the price.

What is it?

Moors Valley Country Park and Forest in Dorset will be seen in a whole new light as The Electric Forest transforms it into an interactive night-time adventure playground of sound and light.

Working in partnership with the Forestry Commission, Culture Creative – an award-winning specialist visual arts team – will light up the forest, during February half term, to produce a magical display of illuminated installations and interactive playscapes, guaranteed to bring the forest to life after dark.

The family friendly trail – part night hike and part creative adventure – will take visitors on a journey of discovery deep into the forest and encourage them to explore and interact with art installations that play-on all the senses and harmonise with the spectacular forest illuminations scattered throughout.  The self guided walking trail will be open from 6.30pm to 9pm daily and will take around an hour to complete at a pleasant pace.

Zoe Bottrell, producer and project manager at Culture Creative said: “I am delighted that The Electric Forest will set Moors Valley ablaze with colour and light for the first time this winter.  The imaginative and fun trail will offer something for everyone, with illuminated play areas, interactive mythophones and a fabulous tree top walkway that will allow visitors to see the forest from every which way possible.

“We are also looking at ways to make The Electric Forest trail accessible to an even wider audience with the possibility of an additional route for ‘wheels’, which would be another first for The Electric Forest, so watch the website for more details” added Zoe.

Head of Recreation and Community Engagement at the Forestry Commission, Nick Tucker said: “Having seen first-hand what Culture Creative has achieved in some of our other forests, we anticipate a magical experience not to be missed. Visitors to Moors Valley Country Park and Forest will get to see and enjoy the forest in a whole new light.”

Warming refreshments to keep the winter chill at bay will be available on site on the night and don’t forget to bring a torch as some areas of the trail are less illuminated than others.  Visitors are advised to dress accordingly – warm clothes, waterproofs and sensible outdoor footwear.

Culture Creative also ensure that its lighting policy is sensitive to the environment it is working in – this includes no floodlighting, or casting light up in the sky and also employing its resources to eliminate or minimize wastage of light and radiant light pollution.

Moors Valley Country Park and Forest is a joint venture between East Dorset District Council and the Forestry Commission and is located ten miles north of Bournemouth at Ashley Heath.  Set in 700 acres, Moors Valley is home to a wide range of plants and animals as well as recreational and play facilities. Every year over 750,000 visitors enjoy the cycle-ways, a tree-top trail, picnic areas, lake and forest walks and play structures, alongside other permanent attractions including cycle hire, the Moors Valley Railway miniature steam experience, recreational fishing, golf course, restaurant and the high wire forest adventure Go Ape!

More info: For more information or to book tickets visit www.theelectricforest.co.uk or call the Forestry Commission box office on 03000 680 400.  Visit www.moors-valley.co.uk to find out more about the park.