Celebrating Stories Across Bedford: The Ben & Bella Book Trails
Bringing the Much-Loved Ben & Bella Book Trails to Life
Brilliant Trails was delighted to work with Bedford Creative Arts to design and install a series of The Ben & Bella Book Trails across Bedford.
Created as part of Bedford’s Reading Year celebrations, The Ben & Bella Book Trails celebrated the work of Bedford-based author Julia Jarman and illustrator Adrian Reynolds, transforming their popular stories into interactive experiences that combined reading, outdoor exploration and family activities.
The Power of Familiar Characters and Stories in the The Ben & Bella Book Trails
One of the strengths of a book trail is the opportunity to use licensed, well-known characters and stories that families already recognise and love.
By securing the appropriate permissions and rights to use existing characters, illustrations and stories, an attraction can create excitement before visitors even arrive. Children aren’t simply being invited to follow a new trail – they’re being given the chance to step into the world of characters they already know from their favourite books.
For the The Ben & Bella trails, this familiarity created an immediate connection between the books and the outdoor experience. It also introduced the stories to a new audience, encouraging children to continue their adventure through reading.
Brilliant Trails can work with clients and rights holders to develop trails around established intellectual property, ensuring the original characters and stories are represented appropriately throughout the experience.
Four Ben & Bella Book Trails Trails Across Bedford
Brilliant Trails created bespoke trails for Bedford Park, Russell Park and Mowsbury Park, alongside a fourth trail within Bedford Central Library.
Each trail retold a Ben & Bella adventure across a series of stops. Children discovered the story one section at a time, encouraging them to keep walking, exploring and searching for the next part of the adventure.
This simple approach took reading beyond the page, combining storytelling with physical activity and giving families a new way to enjoy Bedford’s parks together.
Designing the Ben & Bella Trails
Brilliant Trails designed and produced distinctive oval story markers, featuring illustrations and content from the books.
For the outdoor trails, the panels were mounted onto natural timber stumps, creating a playful installation that complemented the park environment while making each marker something for children to seek out and discover.
Our team managed the process from design and production through to installation, creating a trail experience that remained faithful to the established Ben & Bella stories and artwork.
Printed and Digital Activities
Families could continue the adventure using a printed activity workbook, while Brilliant Trails also developed a web-based digital trail experience.
Visitors simply scanned a QR code to access questions and activities on their smartphone, with no app download required. Providing both options gave families the freedom to choose how they wanted to explore while adding another interactive layer to the stories.
Supporting Literacy and Community Engagement
Bedford Creative Arts brought even more activity to the trails through storytelling afternoons, reading sessions and family activity days.
These events helped turn the installations into community experiences and demonstrated how a permanent story trail can support wider literacy initiatives, school visits, holiday activities and family events.
The trails also celebrated Bedford’s own creative talent while encouraging families to spend more time exploring their local parks and engaging with Bedford Central Library.
Stories Made to Be Explored
The Ben & Bella Book Trails demonstrate what can happen when recognisable characters, storytelling, outdoor spaces and interactive activities are brought together.
From designing the trail format and story markers to, installation, printed activities and digital development, Brilliant Trails helped transform much-loved books into experiences families could physically explore.
Whether it’s an established children’s character, a much-loved book, a local legend or a completely new adventure, Brilliant Trails can create interactive story trails for parks, libraries, town centres and visitor attractions.
Get in touch with Brilliant Trails HERE to start your next story.
