A WEIRD and wonderful trail full of comic-inspired creatures is set to open to the public.
The Wander More With Welsby Trail -which is the work of the Lake District National Park Authority and the Lakes International Comic Art Festival and other local partners-will open on March 17 around Bowness.
Follow Welsby on the character trail that starts from the Information Centre on Glebe Road, to meet characters like “Belmondo” and “Duffell” along the walk that takes in Bryson’s Tea Room & Bakery, the Windermere Jetty Museum, and Queen Adelaide’s Hill, where adventurers encounter the mysterious Mossop, the Woodland Sage.
The creatures people will find along the way are the creations of Louise Evans, AKA Felt Mistress, an internationally-renowned creator of felt figures, from human-looking creatures to monsters and bugs, and her partner, comic artist, illustrator and designer Jonathan Edwards.
The trail was instigated by the Lakes International Comic Art Festival – whose annual festival takes place in October in Bowness– working hand in hand with the Lake District National Park, the National Trust and local partners Bryson’s and Lakeland Arts.
Julie Tait, director, The Lakes International Comic Art Festival said: “We are so excited to bring these wonderful creatures to the Lakes!
“The trail will definitely bring a smile to your face and the quality of the work is just sensational. This is a taster of the creativity we’ll be bringing each year to Bowness-on-Windermere – the new home for our comic festival.”
Kerry Powell, director of communications and resources, The Lake District National Park said: “We are very excited about the trail and hope it will delight audiences of all ages, encouraging them to explore the Lake District and see it in a new and fun way.
“The cultural landscape of the Lake District National Park has inspired artists for generations and it’s great to see that legacy continuing through contemporary artist Felt Mistress.
“The trail has been created to celebrate our partnership with Lakes International Comic Arts Festival, which we hope will encourage new audiences to explore and enjoy our beautiful and inspiring National Park.”
Wander More With Welsby Trail launches March 17 and ends April 25, starting at Glebe Road and ending at Queen Adelaide’s Hill.
The Felt Mistress creations will return in October, in time for the annual Lakes International Comic Art Festival (October 14-16) in Bowness.
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