We love the springtime, after the grey, wet and dull days of winter, it is wonderful to see so much colour creeping back into the Forest. We particularly love the look of the bluebells which are a stunning sight here in the Forest of Dean. In fact, this area is one of the best places […]
Category Archives: Local Area
Discover why more travellers are choosing the Forest of Dean instead of the Cotswolds for a peaceful countryside escape. Ancient woodland, beautiful walks and relaxing stays await.
There’s something genuinely magical about spring in the Forest of Dean. As winter fades, the ancient woodland bursts into life, filling the air with birdsong and the scent of fresh blooms. It’s the perfect time to step away from the everyday, breathe in the fresh forest air, and immerse yourself in nature’s most spectacular show. […]
Following on from our previous blog, discover more hidden Forest of Dean walks and views for you to enjoy this Spring. Wintour’s Leap – Stunning Viewpoint This viewpoint is very tricky to find – you could drive past it numerous times and still not find it. In fact, there are many locals who don’t know […]
Photo credit: Lee McGrath The Forest of Dean, nestled up against the Welsh border in rural Gloucestershire, boasts an abundance of stunning scenery, ancient woodland and a huge range of flora and fauna. Read on to find out where to discover some secret Forest of Dean walks and unique views. Known for its verdant beauty […]
All Saints Church, Newland The church, which was built in the early 1200s and is known as The Cathedral of the Forest. There are several interesting artefacts to see here including medieval floor tiles, an effigy to the first Rector, Robert de Wakering, who was appointed by King John in 1216, the tomb of Sir […]
As we are sure you are aware, the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley are areas of extreme natural beauty. We love exploring them ourselves just as much as we love telling our visitors about the hidden gems of the area. One such hidden gem is situated just under three miles away from the […]
The Forest of Dean Cycle Centre, which is the home of bike rental company Pedalabikeaway, is one of the UK’s most popular trail centres. From here you will find the very popular family cycle trail, The Colliers Trail, which is a circular 9 mile off road route through stunning woodland. You can join this route […]
Foraging for your own food is both immensely satisfying and a great way to enjoy the outdoors. The Forest of Dean
The Creative Canopy Network has produced three new maps specially designed to make getting out into nature more accessible, enjoyable and inspiring for everyone. Each mapped route is intentionally short (around 1 mile), focusing on the journey rather than the destination. The walks encourage wellbeing, creative thinking and a deeper connection with the environment through […]
The Forest of Dean is surrounded by rivers from the Severn to the Wye and the Monnow. But what about if you don’t want to swim in the rivers? Here are our top four alternative outdoor wild swimming locations for you to try. Keepers Pond The Keeper’s Pond, also known as Pen-ffordd-goch Pond or the Forge […]
The Forest of Dean, a majestic ancient woodland in England, is particularly enchanting in winter. This guide highlights the wildlife that thrives in this forest during the colder months, offering a spectacular experience for nature enthusiasts. Deer: Majestic Winter Wanderers Fallow Deer: Introduced in Norman times, they are easily identified by their black and white […]
They say there’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing. If you really don’t like rain though, we have 8 great suggestions of things to do.
People travel here from all over the world to visit places like Clearwell Caves, Puzzlewood Forest and Redbrook because of their natural beauty. We’ve put together 8 of our favourite walks
The Forest of Dean is renowned for its mining and industrial heritage and has been for many years. Although the nationalisation of the coal mining industry in 1946 prompted a decline in mining, independent freeminers are still permitted to mine in the area to this day and will be exempt from the ban on coal due to […]
The Offa’s Dyke Path winds its way through stunning landscapes close to hotel on the edges of England and Wales, between Chepstow on the River Severn towards Prestatyn on the North Wales coast. The…
Not much is known about the Forest of Dean before the middle ages although there are some artefacts still in existence such as fossils from the prehistoric period, Mesolithic monuments, evidence of Bronze Age settlements, and tools from the early Roman farmers who settled here. The Forest of Dean started to come to prominence during […]
Who can cycle? The Forest of Dean caters to all cycling abilities: from the gentle paved family cycle trail at Pedalabikeaway to the adrenaline fuelled trails at Cannop Cycle Centre, there really is something for all ages and abilities. You can find a maps of several routes here. For those who may not be as active […]
The Forest of Dean is an awe-inspiring landscape and as such has featured in many productions on both the small and the silver screen. Here we will take you on a whistle-stop tour of just some of the locations you may recognise and tell you about the tv shows and movies that were filmed in […]
There is definitely something special about the Forest of Dean which is what prompted us to leave London in 2003 to take on the hotel and we have never looked back. We hope you love both the Tudor Farmhouse Hotel and the Forest of Dean as much as we do, and we cannot wait to […]
We are so lucky to live in such an amazing and beautiful location. But, as with all things, familiarity can breed, if not contempt, then at least indifference to our surroundings. I was reminded however about our unique location this week because its the start of the foraging season again and our new forager Ed […]
Everyone seems to be talking about Foresting Bathing. Is it a bath, a walk or just a passing wellbeing fad? We decided it was time to head into the woods and find out for ourselves. We are based in the heart of the Forest of Dean and are so lucky to have Carina Greenwood, an expert […]
We were delighted to host Inside The Travel Lab AKA Abi King recently, here’s her lovely blog post about her stay in the Forest of Dean: Love the Cotswolds but looking for something new and a little more off the beaten track? Meet the Tudor Farmhouse snuggled deep in the Forest of Dean. Cosy indoors, […]





















