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About Us
A pleasant and thriving small village in the heart of the Forest surrounded by beautiful woodland. One of the best locations for exploring the Forest of Dean, with RSPB Nagshead Nature Reserve, the Dean Forest Railway and a delightful village pub The Fountain Inn. The Family Cycle Trail runs near Parkend and there is cycle hire business Dean Forest Cycles with cafe.
There are several places to stay in Parkend including popular guest houses, inns and self-catering accommodation. Parkend is also the home of Whitemead Forest Park, which has a large caravan and camping site, glamping and self-catering accommodation. Whitemead also has a restaurant and bar, and offers entertainment and facilities for both vistors and locals.
There are many places of interest in Parkend including the octagonal shaped parish church, built in 1822 and dedicated to St Paul; the Memorial Hall which was built in 1919 in memory of those killed in the first World War, and the railway station which is the northern terminus of the Dean Forest Railway, a preserved line.
There is a cricket pitch right in the centre of the village, ideal for spending a lazy summer's afternoon.
The Parkend Carnival on August Bank Holiday Monday is renowned throughout the Forest and surrounding towns and villages as being the biggest and best for miles around. In the summer regular Sunday car boot sales are held on the recreation field, the profits from which goes to support the memorial hall.
The Dean Field Study Centre is owned by Bristol City Education Authority and is used by visiting schoolchildren from that city. This building was the original engine house of the ironworks which was later converted by the Forestry Commission into a Forestry School whose students came from across the world to study. The coke furnace at the Ironworks had a 15m (50 ft) waterwheel and two of the storage ponds to power the wheel have since been turned into a local beauty spot - Cannop Ponds. Once a coal mining and industrial centre, the village is now a peaceful backwater surrounded by woodlands.
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Catering
- Picnic site
