THIS summer, National Trust Cymru’s Bodnant Garden will be the first location in Wales to host Aardman’s new ‘Hide & Sheep’ Augmented Reality (AR) trail.
It will be at the garden near Conwy until Sunday, September 11.
The family based ‘Hide & Sheep’ trail brings to life the much-loved character Shaun the Sheep who was developed by Aardman, also the original creators of Wallace & Gromit.
Visitors will be able to enjoy the beauty, nature and tranquility of the garden as they follow the trail and discover markers along the way that show where an Augmented Reality version of Shaun will appear next to them on a pre-downloaded app on their phone or device.
The family based ‘Hide & Sheep’ trail brings to life the much-loved character Shaun the Sheep who was developed by Aardman.
Available to download on both the App Store and Google Play for free, the app will let families see, pose alongside and take photos with Shaun as they discover his hiding spots around the 80-acre world-class garden in the Conwy Valley.
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The app will also be available bilingually in both Welsh and English for the very first time.
Becky Hitchens, Visitor Operations and Experience Manager at Bodnant Garden, said: "We’re delighted to be working with the team from Aardman, who have launched a new app as part of their celebrations to mark 15 years of Shaun the Sheep.
"In the past, we’ve found that traditional family trails which often have more visible elements can sometimes be a distraction for visitors who come to Bodnant to enjoy the garden’s famous vistas and botanical collections, so we’re excited to be able to offer something different that has as little physical impact as possible on the garden, plants and nature that live here.
"With over 250,000 visitors to the garden each year, it’s important that we have activities that are exciting and new for families, whilst also protecting the Grade 1 listed garden for the generations still to come.
"This kind of trail is something brand new for us and we hope that it will help keep families entertained, whilst also preserving the tranquillity and beauty of the natural surroundings."
A family exploring at Bodnant Garden, near Conwy.
The trail is available via the app until Sunday, September 11, and can only be used at venues currently hosting the ‘Hide & Sheep’ Trail.
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Due to limited phone service, it is recommended that visitors download the app before arriving at the garden. It’s a free event, normal admission prices to the garden apply for visitors without National Trust membership.
The app is supported by Aardman and any technical difficulties should be reported directly by email to web.producer@aardman.com.
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