Encompassing a large tract of ancient woodland, the Forest of Dean is a historical and cultural region in Gloucestershire once reserved for royal hunting. It has long been an important area for ironworking and coal mining, with many of its industrial remains now being reclaimed by the forest.
Things to do in Forest of Dean
With attractions both above and below the ground, the Forest of Dean is well worth a visit.
Explore the Dean Heritage Centre. Delve into the social and industrial history of the region at the Dean Heritage Centre, which comprises a museum, a waterwheel and an early 20th-century forester’s cottage. Get up close to 18th-century longcase clocks and an 1830s Lightmoor Colliery beam engine, then spot mandarin ducks and kingfishers on the millpond. Behind the forester’s cottage is a garden planted with heirloom vegetables.
Tour the Hopewell Colliery. Owned and operated by a freeminer, Rich Daniels, the Hopewell Colliery is a working coal mine accessible to the public on guided tours. Experience the extreme conditions that miners once worked in as you explore the underground tunnels and learn about the importance of coal in powering the United Kingdom. As you exit the mine, take note of the 1820s furnace level before ending your journey at the colliery’s tea rooms.
Walk the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail. Linking a series of site-specific installations, the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail is a seven-kilometre-long route established in 1986. Its sculptures are nestled deep in the woodland, allowing for a sense of discovery when you encounter them. Highlights include the 4.5-metre-high stained glass window known as the “Cathedral” and the “Iron Road”, which comprises 20 railway sleepers carved with images from the forest.
Getting around Forest of Dean
The Forest of Dean is just over an hour’s drive from Cardiff Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. The much larger Birmingham Airport is 1.5 hours away. Buses connect to towns and villages throughout the Forest of Dean while renting a car gives you greater freedom to explore the area.