Shaun the Sheep Farmageddon Glow Trail at Jeskyns Community Woodland near Gravesend

A new interactive family 'glow trail' has landed in a Kent forest.

The Forestry Commission has chosen Jeskyns near Gravesend as a host for its new activity, which uses a free app and UV light, and is based on the latest Shaun the Sheep film Farmageddon which hits cinemas on Friday (October 18).

The trail is based around an alien space ship, which has crashed in the forest stranding a loveable alien called Lu-La. She will only be able to get home if she can charge her communicator and send a rescue message before she is captured by a sinister agent.
In a race against time, children will need to search for UV puzzles along the self-led Glow Trail with a UV light pen-torch. Using the free downloadable app, or an activity sheet, children must solve the puzzles in order to help Lu-La charge her communicator. Scroll down to watch the video guide on tackling the trail.

Mini challenges along the trail, such as 'how many trees you can touch in 25 seconds' and 'how many steps you can run on the spot in 20 seconds' will add further charge to the communicator and help Lu-La get home.

Once all of the puzzles and challenges have been completed, the app will present an augmented reality hidden spaceship where families can have their picture taken.

A Shaun the Sheep Farmageddon Glow Trail kit is available to buy on site from the visitor centre/cafe for £3.50 and includes a UV pen-torch, Shaun the Sheep ears, a clue sheet, an activity booklet, a sticker sheet and a pencil to make note of your answers.

Families are advised however to download the app required before they set off for the forest as signal can be patchy on site. You can do that by clicking here.

Jeskyns, which is just off the A2 at Sole Street near Cobham, is one of 23 sites to have introduced the glow trail. It follows the success of another app-based trail featuring The Gruffalo which came to forests in 2017.

The trail which has been supported by Sport England having been designed as a fantastic way to get families active with lots of fun challenges to get you moving along the way. It is billed as 'baa-rilliant fun' for children aged six to 12.

Trudi Else from Sport England said: “Our major new investment programme aims to support families with children get active together and we feel that this project delivers exactly want families want and need. We know from our research that many families enjoy getting active in the forest because of the beauty, scenery and sense of freedom.

“There are currently seven million children aged 5 to 15 in England and nearly 4 in 5 are not doing the recommended daily amount of exercise and we see the new Forestry England trails as a great way to start changing that.”

• Jeskyns is not the only north Kent attraction featuring Shaun the Sheep-themed activities over half term. You can take part in clay model making sessions at Bluewater shopping centre to celebrate the new movie. Learn more here.
• For more suggestions of things to do with the kids across Kent during the school break visit www.mykentfamily.co.uk/things-to-do