Wallace & Gromit: Fantastic Fungi Trail, 17 October to 1 November
Tickets available online soon via kew.org/wakehurst
- Children can discover the weird and wonderful world of fungi
- Activities backed by pioneering scientific research at Wakehurst
- Trail takes place during Aardman’s 50th anniversary year
- Adventure Cinema screenings of spooky favourites from 2 to 4 October
This autumn, Kew Wakehurst invites families to join a Fantastic Fungi Trail, inspired by the adventures of Wallace & Gromit and the villainous penguin Feathers McGraw. Children are tasked with foiling McGraw’s most recent plot, uncovering the ‘tricks and treats’ of fungi found across the Sussex landscape.
Coinciding with celebrations for Aardman’s 50th anniversary, the trail invites families to jump into the cracking claymation world, as the much-loved characters bring science to life. Joining Wallace & Gromit as budding field assistants, children will take a closer look at the world beneath our feet, where the many shapes of fungi hint at an expansive ecological network below. From surprising scents to incredible inks, children will learn about the different ‘tricks and treats’ that fungi bring, completing their mycological mission and keeping vital scientific records safe from Feathers McGraw. As the landscape sinks towards dusk, the trail will bring a playful autumnal experience, open for later afternoon sessions.
The Wallace & Gromit trail at Wakehurst promises an affordable and accessible day out for all, with buggy-friendly paths and a dog-friendly route. Uniting the generations across 50 years of creative storytelling, the trail will bring families together to forge autumnal memories, whilst deepening a connection and understanding of the natural world.
Eva Owen, Public Engagement Manager at Wakehurst, said:
“We’re uniquely placed at Kew Wakehurst to offer families experiences that are directly inspired by scientific research that takes place onsite and we’re excited to offer a slightly different Halloween experience this October. The Fantastic Fungi Trail promises to transform the season’s fear into awe and wonder of the natural world, growing children’s curiosity and equipping them with fungi facts to better understand the habitats around us. Whether you’ve been coming to Wakehurst for years or are looking for something different this October half-term, we can’t wait to welcome you.”
Molly Van Den Brink, Senior Attractions & Live Experiences Manager at Aardman, said:
“We are delighted to be working with the Kew Wakehurst team to develop such a unique, alternative Halloween experience, where families will have the chance to explore and learn about the incredible natural world around them, and all the tricks and treats that these fantastic fungi found at Wakehurst have to offer. Wallace & Gromit are perfectly placed to lead visitors on this journey of scientific discovery and engage them with Wallace’s latest contraption, before it’s too late and their plans are foiled by a familiar, feathery foe…”
Fantastic Fungi
From the slimy to the stinky, fungi come in all shapes and sizes, and family will learn about just a few of the alien-like creations spotted on the woodland floor. This includes the wonderfully weird Devil’s fingers, with its eye-catching red tentacles, as well as the Shaggy Inkcap, which changes form throughout its life cycle. The iconic, fairy-tale Fly Agaric will also play a role in the trail, as well as yellow Sulphur tuft, growing in dense clusters throughout autumn. The trail is backed by scientific research at Wakehurst into the role of fungi in storing carbon in the soil. Recent research by Kew scientists revealed that the type of fungi living on tree roots (rather than the overall amount of fungi present) may be the answer to why some woodland soils store more carbon than others. The study identified that fungi particularly found in broadleaf woodlands helps to move carbon from trees into the soil, and that fungi producing more fine threads, (hyphae), were linked with higher levels of soil carbon.
Autumnal Awe
Families will follow a route that takes in vibrant autumn colours, as the National Birch Collection in Bethlehem Wood bursts into life in a tapestry of orange and gold. Once the mission is complete, families can continue their adventures into Pearcelands Wood, where curious minds can continue to discover science in action, spotting high-tech equipment installed to monitor the wind resilience of trees, through the new ‘Wind in the Trees’ research project. In the heart of the gardens, the Children’s & Community Garden beckons for messy play in the Mud Kitchen, or families can seek shelter from the autumn weather in the Elizabethan Mansion or Millennium Seed Bank, an inspiring place to continue growing curiosity, where a virtual scientist awaits to answer new questions that may have arisen during the trail. Autumn colour-spotters can continue their adventures down to Westwood Lake, where vibrant tones reflect off tranquil waters, and there are even more fungi to be found.
In the lead up to October half-term, Wakehurst is partnering with Adventure Cinema to host spooky screenings of Halloween favourites. From the award-winning Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit to the wickedly fun Hocus Pocus, there is something for all ages to enjoy a spellbinding night under the stars.
Image: Fungi, Jim Holden © RBG Kew
