New self-led trail at Finlaystone Country Estate

Gnomes are friendly little people who cherish the soil. You might have noticed some of them in gardens and parks. Finlaystone has its little horde of gnomes who live on the path past the log cabin. The trail ends at the big W tree just before the Foulerstone Goblin Fortress guarded by sacred cows and crows.

Have a seat on the Gnomes’ Gathering Ground and work out your gnome name as they are mischievous and it is a good idea to keep your real name a secret. Starting with a grandparent or old person’s first name and a two-word second name works well. Betty Bugle-belter or Marjorie Marmalade-melon or Walter Whiskery-wart for example.

They are proud of their colourful hats and have washed them specially so that a spectrum of the colours of the rainbow can be seen. See if you can spot all twenty gnomes.

Visitors can collect free instructions at the visitors’ centre and use this page to follow the trail.

The Trail:

Cross the bridge, opposite the car park, walk past the pirate ship, down to the log cabin and continue along the path. From here start to look out for gnomes, who will have heard you coming and will have abseiled into the trees on the lookout, as they are quite shy little people.  See if you can spot them dangling from their ropes. The first gnome you will meet is on the right of the path.

Albert Oakthistle, proudly sporting his lilac cap, is keen to welcome you and wonders if you can identify the tree he lives in and the name of the nuts he collects. Walk on and look left.

Bertha Bogtrotter, sporting her brightest yellow cap, bounces from oak to oak, see how many oak trees you can spot on the walk. Stepping carefully over the backs of the sleeping dragons in case you wake them up, walk on and look right.

Caspar Cuttlefish, sporting his new green cap, is sheltering under crows’ nest twigs in a silver birch tree. How many different kinds of bark are growing out of this base? Walk on, and before you cross the bridge, look to your right.

Donald Dingleberry, a sight to behold in his peach cap, is peeking out from the spectre of the ash tree which haunts the forest at night. Walk on and look left.

Ernie Eggbottom, sporting a yellow cap, is in charge of the gnomes’ Christmas tree plantation. How many can you count? Continue along the path and eyes peeled to the left.

Ferdy Fossilfart, posing in his leaf-green cap, is lurking in one of our lucky rowan trees. It is protection against witches. Why do you think it is so tall and spindly? Think of the light. Go deeper into the forest, beyond the rowan. You will see a little path and follow it, as this is a special meeting place for the gnomes.

Gordon Greedyguts, resplendent in his blue cap, is swinging from the magic faraway sycamore tree. Stomp round the tree, or howl like a wolf to keep the witches at bay. Duck under the fallen branch arch, back to the path. Go past the monkey puzzle tree (its branches look like monkey tails). Walk on and look left.

Hilary Hawthorn, a bit of a show off with a red and blue striped hat, is in a silver birch tree. How many two-legged trees can you see? Legend has it that these are the legs of lazy giants who fell asleep whilst standing on their heads. Walk on and keep eyes peeled to the right.

Ina Itchyinsectbite, modelling a mauve (pale purple) cap, is quite shy and lives in the dramatically drooping fir tree. See if you can find and juggle some fir cones. Walk on and look to the left.

Josephine Jinglejelly, disguised in a green cap, is also in a rowan tree, as these trees are the only defence against witches. It is a good idea to shout “Get on your broomstick” to discourage the witches from landing at Finlaystone. Walk on and look for a giant tree.

Kevin Knobblyknees, not sure how he got here, but wearing a midsummer moon yellow cap, will be gazing at you. Listen to the rustling of the leaves and discuss what they remind you of. The path winds uphill, passing a wooden sign with SO/51.

Lucy Littlelantern, wearing a blue cap, dangles from the spindly pine tree. This is a chance to have another shot at your pine cone juggling skills. Walk on up the hill to the lightning-struck tree, which looks like a tiger caught in the act of hunting.

Malcolm Mankymudpie, resplendent in a green cap, will be waiting to greet you. He would like you to think about a time when you were very brave and what you did. KEEP LEFT. You are on the red trail. This part of the Yellow Trail is a whole new adventure worth trying but it is steep and not for the faint-hearted or very young.

Nigel Nigglenaggle, wearing his new yellow cap, is lurking in a third Rowan tree to keep the witches in check. This is a good time to do a rain dance and bang two sticks together. Passing the rhododendrons, look to your right.

Olga Oink-Onion, wearing a wonderful minty green cap, is swinging from a tree with two different types of bark. See how many leaves you can identify. Walk on, look left.

Petrova Piddlypants, pretty in a pink cap, is peeking at you from the white-barked silver birch. Can you walk on tiptoe over the tree roots on the path? The whole forest is a net of roots under your feet. Walk on and eyes peeled to the right.

Rosemary Raggedrobin also lives in a silver birch tree. She is a tiny, yellow capped gnome, but never to be underestimated. She is keen for you to throw some fir cones off the path and back into the forest for the roe deer. Walk on and look left.

Salma SlipSlapSlop, is modelling a blue cap, and is hiding in the leafy rhododendron. Gather some fir cones as you are very close to the end of the gnomes’ trail and may need these to protect yourself from goblins. It is important to look out for the big W sycamore tree, on your right, which is as far as the gnomes’ protection for you can go. See if you can see goblin scratchings into the bark. Foulerstone Fortress is in the field of fierce cows.

Timothy Tickletrout, wearing a purple cap, accompanied by Ursula Underuxter, his wife, and their children, Milly, Molly, Mandy and Midge, are bravely strung across the big W tree. We hope they are there, but they may well have been captured.

After this, take a picture of yourselves framed by the big W tree and venture further at your peril! Listen out for goblins, banshees, and imps.  

Retrace your steps and let the rangers know if the fearless family are not in the big W tree as they may have been captured by the goblins, or worse! 

At night, gnomes say “Goodnight, sleep tight and mind the fleas don’t bite”. Sweet dreams and come back soon!