On a bright Sunday morning in Branston, Burton on Trent, a group of walkers, joggers, and two enthusiastic dogs set off to follow a trail with a difference. Their mission was simple: to find the new Branston Pickle Pots, enjoy the fresh air, and spend time together exploring their local area.
As a newly qualified walk leader for Walk Derbyshire, and part of the team at Haywyre behind the custom trail app, I had the pleasure of leading a group of intrepid walkers along the scenic river paths, whilst the joggers headed out towards Branston Water Park. The turnout was fantastic: 19 walkers, 20 joggers, and three dogs.
The success of the day came down to careful preparation. I'd previously recced the route with three willing participants to find the best way around, mapping out parking, refreshment stops, and testing the app's map pins to ensure everything lined up smoothly.
Our only minor hitch was briefly getting turned around in the Greene King car park - a great reminder of why walk leader training stresses the importance of a recce.
As Swad Joggers are based over in Swadlincote, many of the participants had never explored this side of the River Trent, visited Branston Water Park, or stepped inside the Riverside Hotel before.
While sections of the route run past less scenic landscapes like the local retail park, the real magic was in the trail itself. Using our app's interactive map to guide the way, the group loved hunting down the giant Pickle Pots, beautifully decorated by local artists. The feedback was wonderful, with everyone enjoying the fun of discovering somewhere entirely new right on their doorstep. By the time the groups had finished, our thirsty walkers and runners had made their way to the Riverside Hotel. The venue was suddenly buzzing with people, conversation, and post-walk refreshments - a small but powerful example of how a local trail can support hospitality, visitor spend and bring people into shared spaces. The team behind the bar certainly had an unexpectedly busy Sunday morning rush.
The Branston Pickle Pots Trail is part of Branston Town Council's Greener Town Campaign, delivered in conjunction with Burton-based business Making Trails. The initiative combines public art, biodiversity and community spirit. Ten giant Pickle Pot sculptures have been placed through Branston's public spaces, each containing plants designed to support bees, butterflies and other vital species.
The result is a trail that does far more than mark points on a map. It gives residents and visitors a reason to look again at familiar places, to walk through their community with curiosity, and to connect local identity with creativity, nature and wellbeing.
To complement the physical installations, we've worked alongside Making Trails on three distinct app-based art trails this year: Staffordshire's Staffy Trail, Amber Valley's Ay Up Me Duck Trail, and Branston's Pickle Pots Trail. Each bespoke app helps users navigate the route, find the physical sculptures, track their progress, and unlock rewards along the way.
The Branston Pickle Pots Trail shows what happens when technology is used not as the destination, but as the invitation. The app helps people find their way, but the real outcome is what happens beyond the screen: people walking together, discovering local places, supporting hospitality, and feeling more connected to the communities around them.
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