We were thrilled to be asked to create a new logo and associated brand elements for the soft launch of National Trails UK. A new body set up to be ‘the independent champion for National Trails across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

NTUK speaks for the people stewarding the National Trail network and works with partners, government and private business to secure a sustainable future for every National Trail in the UK. Their goal is to create a coherent network of National Trails to benefit everyone in the UK, with a specific focus on those who traditionally face barriers to being able to enjoy the benefits that access to nature and the outdoors can offer.

Our mission was simple - find a way in which NTUK could have a distinctive identity that didn’t overshadow or outcompete the existing brands of the individual trails in the UK. Especially that of the current National Trails body which uses the iconic acorn symbol. Our solution was to use another icon of the Trails as the cornerstone of our identity, the instantly recognisable Finger Post. Synonymous with every trail in the UK, a unifying visual asset and a wonderful metaphor for an organisation leading the way.

Building the Finger Post into a bold, modern wordmark allows NTUK to stand out amongst a brand landscape dominated by script fonts and nature illustrations. A contrast that we pushed even further by adopting a colour palette that uses bold, strong colours inspired by outdoor performance gear. A direct contrast to the sea of green and blue in the wider brand landscape. Finally, we laced up our boots and took our new brand assets for a walk, levering the point of the Finger Post to create holding shapes for imagery and text and creating a bold and simple splash web page.

We loved working on this project, its a cause very close to our hearts and we can’t wait to see where the NTUK path takes them into the future. Happy trails!

Additional design skills and good vibes: Jason Drake