GET out your shoes or sturdy boots and head for the woods. You could be in for quite a surprise.

For those who venture into woods at Hade Edge this month will discover that the natural beauty of the trees has been enhanced by an art collection created by 22 artists.

Arts In The Woods brings together a unique collection of 19 pieces of outdoor art created by artists from this region and beyond.

Felt-maker and outdoor artist Sarah Branson is the driving force behind the project which opens tomorrow and runs for the whole three weeks of the Holmfirth Arts Festival for which it has been created.

“Last year I was approached by Keith Griffin to put some work into his church in Holmfirth, ‘’ said Sarah.

“Then he asked if I would organise a walk for the public to visit some outdoor space. Then we thought why don’t we have a whole trail of art open to the public for the whole of the festival.’’

The result is Art In The Wood, an exhibition of site specific pieces which walkers will be able to see as they stroll along a well-marked path at Holme Styes Reservoir at Hade Edge.

Sarah, who is originally from Newcastle, has been living at Totties near Scholes for several years.

She approached a local landowner who was happy for the art trail to be created on his land.

“I wanted to give local artists the opportunity to make some site-specific work. I wanted to give them an outdoor space. A lot of them have made site-specific pieces using materials from in the woods.’’

Of the 22 artists involved, some are well-known locally including Celia Kilner, Sue Jenkins, Jamie Frost and Mick Kirkby-Geddes, but others are from across the region.

Sarah has also involved a writers’ group in creating work for the trail.

“Poetry will also be hidden along the walk, poems about what the woods evoke in people.

“The writers’ group had a walk and a picnic and did some writing there. I wanted to really capture everybody’s imagination.’’

As for Sarah herself, she teamed up with another felt-maker, Sue Clay, and ran a workshop where people helped create flowers for a felt flower meadow.

“We taught them how to make the flowers and then left it to their imaginations.

“The flowers are really colourful. They are all on wire and will be planted into the ground.’’

Leaflets about the walk will be placed at the site and will also be available from the tourist information centre in Holmfirth.