Fforest Fawr Sculpture Trail

It’s been over two years since Simon O’Rourke installed the new sculpture trail in Fforest Fawr. Simon has shared his initial sketches for the carvings and I take a look at how the sculptures have changed.

Drawing of a sculpture of a timeline on a carved tree trunk — © Simon O’Rourke

Wooden sculpture of some animals and a timeline

Wooden sculpture of animals and a timeline

When I spoke to Simon during the installation he explained that the sculptures would change colour quite dramatically over time. Back in 2018 the wood was quite a bright pink but just a year later the sculptures had darkened and blended into the woodland setting.

Drawing of a sculpture of a collection of trees and forest animals — © Simon O’Rourke

Most of the sculptures ended up looking very close to Simon’s original sketches.

Drawing of a sculpture of a wolf on a rock

Here are a few more of the original designs.

Drawing of a sculpture of a pine marten — © Simon O’Rourke

Drawing of a sculpture of a lynx on a tree — © Simon O’Rourke

The beautiful red deer is the only sculpture that’s significantly different from the concept art. Sadly, the red deer has suffered quite a bit of damage to its antlers since that photo was taken.

Drawing of a wooden sculpture of a red deer — © Simon O’Rourke

The sculptures looks fantastic with their intricate detail and rich colours. It’s great to see visitors enjoying the trail and it puts a smile on my face every time I visit the forest.