20 January 2025
Stick Man returns to the nation’s forests for a family adventure trail
Families across England will have the chance to join a new forest adventure as the much-loved character Stick Man, based on the beautiful picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, returns to Forestry England sites in 2025.
From February 2025 to January 2026, 26 forests will host specially designed Stick Man activity trails, where families can follow the beloved character on his journey back to the family tree. Along the way, young adventurers will discover nine interactive activity panels and six spotter panels, offering hands-on experiences from building with sticks to learning about forest wildlife, birds, and nests.
Jose Lovelle, National Membership and Marketing Manager, at Forestry England, said:
"We're delighted to welcome Stick Man back to our forests for what promises to be an exciting year of family adventures. These trails offer the perfect blend of storytelling and outdoor exploration, helping children connect with nature in a fun and memorable way. Through simple activities like building with sticks and discovering forest wildlife, families can create special memories while learning about the natural world around them. It's wonderful to see how a beloved character like Stick Man can inspire the next generation of nature lovers."
To make the adventure even more special, families can purchase a £4 activity pack. The pack includes materials to create their own Stick Man and a special passport system. Young explorers can collect stamps along the trail, filling in their adventure passports as they complete each exciting challenge.
The passport system encourages children to explore every part of the trail, creating a sense of achievement as they collect stamps and discover new aspects of forest life at each stopping point. This hands-on approach makes learning about nature engaging and memorable for young adventurers.
The trail marks the latest chapter in a successful partnership between Forestry England and Magic Light Pictures, which began in 2014, bringing Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved characters to life in natural settings.
To find your nearest participating forest and plan your Stick Man adventure, visit www.forestryengland.uk/stickman.
Notes to Editor
- Images are available here. Please credit Forestry England/Crown copyright.
- Forestry England manages and cares for the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests, with over 285 million visits in 2023/24. As England’s largest land manager, we shape landscapes and enhance forests for people to enjoy, wildlife to flourish and businesses to grow. We are continuing the work we have already started to make the nation’s forests resilient to climate change and by 2026 we will:
- create at least 6,000 more hectares where we integrate wilding activities in our productive forests
- increase the diversity of visitors to the nation’s forests and have one million hours of high-quality volunteer time given to the nation’s forests
- plant at least 2,000 hectares of new, high quality, predominantly broadleaf woodlands
For more information visit forestryengland.uk. Forestry England is an agency of the Forestry Commission.
Media contact:
Forestry England press office| media@forestryengland.uk