A new storytelling trail and free creative writing workshops will be hosted by St David’s Cardiff this summer.
Created by renowned Welsh children’s author Claire Fayers, the storytelling trail will invite families to complete a quest themed around the oldest animals in Wales.
The child-friendly trail will bring Welsh folklore to life through animal imagery hidden in windows throughout the city shopping destination for families to discover.
Throughout the trail, children will be inspired to write their very own fantastical stories as they fill in their free trail map.
In addition, two free creative writing workshops will be held at St David’s, hosted by Claire Fayers, who is one of Wales’ best-known children’s authors.
Hailing from Newport, Claire is known for writing humorous fantasy and folklore tales for children and young adults, including The Voyage to the Magical North, Welsh Giants, Ghosts and Goblins, as well as Mirror Magic.
Taking inspiration from the trail, the workshops will explore Welsh folklore through a range of activities including storytelling, activities, and story games.
The story trail will launch on Monday 17th August and run daily until Monday 31st August, with trail maps available to collect during centre opening hours from the St David’s Cardiff Guest Services team – located on the upper level of the Grand Arcade, close to Bershka, Stradivarius, and Starbucks.
The free 45-minute workshops are for ages 6+ and will be held at 11am and 12.30pm on Friday 21st and Friday 28th August, on the upper east side of the food court area near TGI Fridays. Spaces will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Workshop participants will receive a limited-edition pencil case, ready for the new school year in September.
Helen Morgan, Centre Director of St David’s Cardiff, commented: “The new storytelling trail and creative writing workshops will be a fantastic addition, offering families visiting the city the chance to be entertained and inspired while enjoying a memorable day out at St David’s this summer.”
The storytelling trail and workshops will be held at St David’s during the National Year of Reading, designed to help people discover and rediscover the joy of reading.
Author Claire Fayers commented: “I’m thrilled to be working with St David’s on this project especially in 2026, the year of reading. I love Welsh folklore, with its weird and wonderful characters, and the story trail will bring some of those characters to life and, I hope, inspire lots of new stories.”
