72 Hours in the Forest of Dean

A land of legend and adventure. The Forest of Dean is an exciting playground for those who love to get outdoors.

From underground to high up a mountain, on land or on water, who knows where your days will take you. Staying here you feel as if you have entered another world, and you will in fact encounter scenes straight from Star Wars and Doctor Who. Covering more than 8,000 hectares, the Forest of Dean is a National Forest Park. The park has a rich history and an abundance of natural beauty and we can’t wait to explore it with you. Book one of our gorgeous properties and spend 72 hours in the Forest of Dean.

Day One

Wherever you want to make your base, we have properties covering from Lydney and Chepstow up to Hay-on-Wye and Kentchurch. For a real forest getaway, The Old Pump House is set amongst woodland. You might be lucky enough to spot a local wild boar if you stay here! After dropping off your bags head out to discover this beautiful area.

Hidden Sculptures

The Forest of Dean Sculpture Park is open until dusk every day and is a treasure trove of art. The sculptures are intentionally left to be overgrown by the forest, evolving over time. The almost 5-mile trail takes you around the forest, stopping at each piece along the way. Sculptures dating back to 1986 when the park first opened include the often-photographed Cathedral stained glass. These older pieces are joined by more recent artworks.

A Country Pub

On your way back to your holiday home of choice, stop off for dinner at one of the country pubs. In the south The Globe Inn at Alvington is a beautiful grade-II listed coach house near Lydney, while in the north The Saracens Head in Symonds Yat offers a friendly welcome on the banks of the River Wye.

Day Two

Go Ape and Cycling

Start your day off with an adventure, on wheels or up in the air! There are two Go Ape locations, one at Mallards Pike and one at Beechenhurst, where you can follow the treetop trail before plunging back to the ground on the 120m zip line. If you prefer being a bit closer to earth, the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre has a family cycle trail and more adventurous downhill runs. Bike hire is available from Pedalabikeaway and you can book an uplift service with FlyUp Downhill if you’d rather spend more of your time on the downhill runs than struggling uphill.

Cavernous Caves

If you haven’t ridden too hard in the morning, head across to the Clearwell Caves to cool down in this underworld universe. There is a café on site so you can fill up before descending 100ft to the maze of caves below. Make sure you have a jumper with you and wear comfortable shoes to get the most out of your time here. Find the underwater pool, expansive echoing cavern and see for yourselves what it would have been like to work in these mines.

Roll Through The Forest

If you’d rather take the weight off your feet, book a journey on the Dean Forest Railway. This heritage steam train trundles through the forest from Lydney to Parkend. Stop off at the station at Norchard to visit the café, shop and museum before continuing on to Parkend where you can follow a number of walking trails. The Nagshead nature reserve is just outside the village and Mallards Pike is 2.5 miles.

Day Three

Castle Conundrums

Just outside the Forest of Dean you have a choice of castles waiting for you to explore. Raglan in Wales is a ruined medieval castle, Goodrich is one of the best-preserved medieval castles which has far reaching views and Eastnor is surrounded by a deer park, arboretum and lake. Any of these provides a lovely family day out, the hard part is choosing which one to visit!

Forest of Dean’s Finest

End your holiday in the Forest of Dean on a high with a visit to one of our favourite spots. Symonds Yat in the Wye Valley just outside the forest is a stunning location. Set on the edge of the river you can enjoy leisurely walks or follow the more strenuous route up to Yat Rock where your reward is the most amazing views, sometimes you can spot Peregrin falcons. Within the forest, Puzzlewood is a mysterious world of strange rock formations, hidden caves and historic trees. Follow the paths over bridges and between the trees as you explore this unusual woodland, often used as a filming location!