Forest of Dean Visitor Guide: Things to do & Places to Visit

The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire offers lots of fun things to do. The area offers plenty of places to visit and attractions to enjoy. You’ll find plenty of fun activities and beautiful sights. You can also find hidden gems when you venture off the popular forest trails. Travelling in the forest is best on foot, by bike, by car, or by bus.

Forest Of Dean

The Forest of Dean is a stunning area of ancient mixed woodland and one of the few surviving ancient woods in England. The Forest of Dean covers over 42 square miles of countryside and is a diverse habitat for wildlife. This area has an industrial past, mainly shaped by mining. Remnants of iron and coal remain, and you can even spot gold mining in the forest.

Historically, they reserved much of the woods for royal hunting before 1066. It remained the second-largest Crown forest in England, after the New Forest in Hampshire.

Things To Do & Places To Visit in The Forest of Dean

The Forest of Dean offers many tourist attractions to suit most interests. The biggest attraction is the miles of ancient woodland to explore, either on foot or by car. The area offers many outdoor activities, including cycling.

Walking or Hiking

My preference for a free day out is a circular walk, with breaks for taking photographs of scenery or wildlife if you are in the right place at the right time. Bring a picnic and drink as needed. There are countless hiking trails to choose from, including short or long, depending on how far you wish to go.

Dean Forest Railway

The Dean Forest Railway recreates the historic Severn & Wye Railway, which they restored to its current state. You can enjoy a trip of over 8 miles through the Forest of Dean on the line between Parkend and Lydney. When open, the attraction usually runs two locomotives, including steam and heritage diesel trains. The site also has a museum all about the historical train lines in the Forest of Dean. It is a great day out for children and adults and, as a bonus, is dog-friendly.

Go Ape

GoApe Adventures is the place to visit if you are looking for a fun adventure in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Activities include a treetop adventure with lots of climbing and zip wires. The company certainly knows how to create fun for all of its visitors.

They also have a Tree Top Adventure site at Mallards Pike in the FOD. Activities include a zip wire, a Tarzan swing, and high-ropes crossings, all while enjoying fantastic forest views.

The centre is also available for corporate team-building events at some of their UK adventure centres. Team building is a great way to get to know colleagues or club members better. This is one of many popular places to visit for corporate team-building days. Other options sometimes include kart racing, off-road driving or water adventures like kayaking. BOOK YOUR VISIT.

Forest Segway

The Segway Experience is also a fun option at Mallards Pike in the Forest of Dean. This is a wonderful way to explore the main trails through the ancient woodland of the FOD. The trails around Mallards Pike are very picturesque and great for a hike after the activities.

Dean Heritage Centre

The Dean Heritage Centre is in the pretty valley of Soudley in the Forest of Dean. Dean Heritage Centre exists to record and preserve the unique social and industrial history of the area and its people. The centre comprises the museum itself, a millpond and waterwheel, and a forester’s cottage, also with gardens and animals. The centre also has art and craft exhibitions and workshops. Many walking trails run through the surrounding woodland.

The museum has five galleries telling the history of the Forest of Dean. This covers everything from the earliest geological and fossil records to the present day. They display a wide variety of artefacts from historic industries, such as coal mining, iron mining, forestry, and more.

The museum’s most noteworthy artefact is an 1830s Lightmoor Colliery beam engine. The museum also has Thomas Sopwith’s 1838 geological model of Dean Forest and the Voyce collection of 18th- and 19th-century long-case clocks.

Sculpture Trail

This is a great day out for those who enjoy art and walking in the woods. There are 18 sculptures on the Sculpture Trail, which is about 4.8 miles long. Seeing every sculpture takes about three hours; however, many take longer because of picnics or detours to take in the area’s natural beauty.

Symonds Yat

Symonds Yat Rock overlooks a spectacular gorge through which the River Wye snakes. This rock is the perfect viewpoint for watching raptors. You can watch a pair of peregrine falcons that nest annually within sight of the rock through telescopes. Many trails lead down to and along the River Wye. When visiting, you’ll find plenty of places for refreshments to enhance a day out here.

Puzzlewood

Puzzlewood covers 14 acres of ancient forest and shows evidence of open-cast iron ore mining dating from the Roman period and possibly earlier.

Several miles of pathways were laid down in the early 19th century to provide access to the woods and offer picturesque walks. The area contains strange rock formations, secret caves and ancient trees, with a confusing maze of paths. They say it inspired J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings.

Cruise on the River Wye from Symonds Yat

After a walk along the River Wye, I took a boat ride and joined passengers on a Kingfisher Cruises boat near The Saracen’s Head pub. The boat trip was informative, and the views along the way were special. You can also get refreshments on board or bring your own. As a bonus, we enjoyed the boat trip with our dog, Henry.

Perrygrove Railway

A trip along the Perrygrove line near Coleford takes just over 30 minutes from end to end. There are four stations where you can alight to take part in fun activities or enjoy the surroundings. Visitors can ride the trains as many times as they require, all included in the ticket price. Many walks start just off the various stations for you to enjoy. They also organise vintage working weekends for enthusiasts to join in. https://www.perrygrove.co.uk/

Discover Disused Railway Lines

Gloucestershire also has many disused railway lines, including disused rail bridges on the River Wye. Such as the Duke of Beaufort Bridge near Monmouth. The walk from Monmouth to the bridge is rather nice, and seeing the bridge is a great bonus.

The Wilderness Centre

The Wilderness Centre is a historic stately home nestled within 30 acres of private grounds in Mitcheldean. Its grounds include forest, fields and its own stone circle, commanding spectacular views over the River Severn. It also has many beautiful views across the Gloucestershire countryside.

Known to an entire generation of people throughout Gloucestershire and beyond. Typically, as the place where they had their first adventure away from home. The Wilderness Centre has provided outdoor education with accommodation for young people for 50 years.

The Centre remains true to its 50-year legacy and continues to provide exceptional residential stays for schools. Their qualified team shares their knowledge and invites young people to explore, learn, and connect with nature. After all, the great outdoors is the best classroom. Guests can take part in on-site outdoor activities, such as bushcraft, archery, abseiling, crate stacking and orienteering. These are with qualified instructors. www.wilderness-centre.co.uk

Goodrich Castle

Goodrich Castle is a Norman medieval castle ruin, just north of the village of Goodrich in Herefordshire. They built it to control a key location between Monmouth and Ross-on-Wye. This is a splendid place to explore, and the location is very picturesque. The closest pub is Inn on the Wye, a classic country pub that serves excellent beer and traditional food. More info…

Enjoy Local Food

You can find many places to eat locally sourced food, including some fantastic restaurants. Many local eateries sell seasonal produce that tastes delicious. Keep an eye out for venison and boar, which are available periodically. Many pubs serve hearty pub grub, which is handy for a meal when exploring the area.

Chepstow Castle

The oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain, it is also a great visitor attraction. Above the cliffs, on the River Wye in Chepstow, over the border in Wales, is Chepstow Castle. Construction began in 1067 under the instruction of the Norman Lord William FitzOsbern. More info…

Clearwell Castle

Clearwell Castle in the Forest of Dean is a Grade II* listed Gothic Revival mansion. They originally called it Clearwell Court. It was built in the Gothic style in 1727. The castle is now a wedding venue, thus not really a tourist attraction. However, they have open days for prospective brides and grooms.

St Briavels Castle

St Briavels Castle is a moated Norman castle in St Briavels, Gloucestershire. The castle has a huge Edwardian gatehouse that guards the entrance.

YHA St Briavels Castle is a place to stay with a real wow factor. It will amaze and inspire visitors of all ages. The castle is over 800 years old, with well-preserved features throughout. It’s a Grade I listed ancient monument, a rich piece of history and an inspiring location. Get transported back in time to the Medieval world of King John and the Magna Carta. This youth hostel has 60 beds across 9 bedrooms but can, on request, increase its capacity to 66.

The castle is open year-round for group bookings. They release beds and rooms for families and independent travellers three months in advance. Thus, you need to check their website for availability. Visit Website.

Harts Barn Cookery School

Harts Barn Cookery School is in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire. They offer a variety of cooking classes, including bread making. Harts Barn Cookery School aims to make cookery skills available to all. Besides cooking events, they organise events, pop-up restaurants, a hire-a-chef service, foodie demonstrations, parties, and large group packages.

The Barn also has an earth oven and courtyard area for on-site outdoor cooking experiences. It features a lake and picnic area and also has a tearoom for those who want to extend their day of cooking beyond the kitchen. The centre also offers a wide range of classes to help you learn new culinary skills. The centre is also home to craftspeople and local artists who sell their jewellery, wood carvings, modern art, and vintage homeware in the on-site shops.

Cat’s Eye Carving

Carrie Horwood trained at Gloucester Cathedral as a stonemason after completing a 4-year degree in sculpture. She has been running her successful business since 2005. Carrie now has a workshop and shop based at Taurus Crafts in Lydney. Carrie uses the finest locally sourced slate, limestone, and sandstone. You can commission her to carve virtually anything you want.

Cat’s Eye Carving creates hand-carved bespoke sculptures and ornaments. Also, they do letter cutting for house signs and animal or people portraits. She supplies unique gifts and small carvings to suit all budgets. Highly skilled, traditionally trained stonemason/sculptor. http://www.catseyecarving.co.uk

Places to Visit in The Forest of Dean

• Cinderford – A small town in the forest with good transport links and a rugby club.
• Coleford – A small market town, situated about four miles east of the Welsh border and close to the Wye Valley.
• Drybrook – A small village on the edge of the area with a quarry and some fantastic woodland.
• Redbrook – A village on the banks of the River Wye; it has a village store and 2 pubs. It is a glorious spot for those using the river for fun, including for wild swimming.
• Monmouth – The historic county town of the Welsh county of Monmouthshire. A place with a superb choice of shops and eateries.
• Parkend – A village on the Dean Forest Railway with a shop and a few pubs. Also, many places to stay nearby for holidaymakers on an adventure.
• Lydney – A small town with the area’s railway station, on the banks of the River Severn; it has a harbour and the end of the River Lyd.

Holidays in The Area

The Forest of Dean is a beautiful location for an inland holiday in Gloucestershire. Accommodation ranges from camping, glamping, B&Bs, and hotels to suit your taste. A wide range of adventure holiday activities is available, including walking, bushcraft, and watersports on the River Wye.

• Camping – Sites in the area for holidays under canvas.
• Glamping – Options for posh camping in the local area. Some places are truly unique.

Favourite Things to See in The Forest of Dean

Our favourite places to visit and things to do in the area are.

• Wye Valley – Strolling along the riverbanks of this beautiful river.
• Cannop Ponds – Explore the lakes and woodland on foot; I really should try it on a bike one day.
• Biblins – The beautiful countryside near Biblins Footbridge is one of my favourite places to explore.
• Mallards Pike – A beautiful lake with a picnic area deep in the woods.