Forest Of Dean

Whilst the forest today is still a working timber producing forest it also faces many other pressures on it. It is, for instance, one of the oldest community forests in the country with the towns of Coleford, Cinderford and Lydney around the periphery.

The Forest covers 35 square miles. Throughout the Forest you are welcome to explore - to walk the many miles of forest roads and tracks, or cycle the stoned forest roads in the centre of the Forest. You will find a number of waymarked trails for cyclists and walkers cross the Forest, ranging in length from a few kilometres to long distance paths. There are plenty of picnic sites, carparks, view points and camp sites in the area. For centuries it was valued for its resources of iron, coal, stone and timber. Today it is a place of few crowds and much peace, with the largest area of old oak trees in Britain. It came to the Forestry Commission in 1924.

To Dennis Potter, the playwright, who was born and grew up in the forest, it was more than just a heart-shaped area on a map; for him the beauty and magic of the landscape also captured his heart - as it will yours too!