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There is an abundance of things to do to keep our youngest visitors happy in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. You can’t come to the area without a woodland walk and whether it’s raining or the sun is shining the trees are often a great place to shelter. If you enjoy walking and need a trail to follow then the sculpture trail from Beechenhurst is a good start. Forestry England also often have seasonal trails to follow which in previous years have included the Gruffalo or Shaun the Sheep.
A hidden gem for our younger visitors is Perrygrove, with its with steam train rides that circle a children’s play fort complete with slides and lookouts as well as woodland pathways and an undercover play area that makes you feel like you have stepped into toy town. Perrygrove is opposite one of the must-go attractions in the area, Puzzlewood, with its magical mystical natural woodland pathways it is a breathtaking sight which is why it is used regularly in TV and films such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Merlin and even Tree Fu Tom.
Other attractions loved by our younger visitors include the Wye Valley Butterfly Zoo and aMazing Hedge Puzzle where you can play hide and seek whilst you find your way into the middle of the maze. There are many majestic castles to visit in the area too including Goodrich Castle, Raglan Castle, Chepstow Castle and Caldicot Castle and they often run events, trails and activities to follow that let your little ones' imaginations run wild.
If cycling is your thing, you can take your own or hire a bike (and child’s seat) and head out for an hour or two onto the Family Cycling Trail. You can also hire a canoe (minimum age 4) and spend a few hours gently floating down the river – keep an eye out for otters swimming along the water's edge and kingfishers flitting past.
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Near Coleford
This experience is a great way to explore the Forest of Dean for the adventurous family! A family mountain bike activity dedicated to your family needs. Choose what date you want, what you want to see and learn and we will do the rest! Come and explore the beautiful Forest of Dean by mountain bikes, learning some new skills on the way.
Price: £135 per family
Length of experience: 3 hours minimum
Nr Coleford
Whitecliff Off-Road Centre has its own private picturesque site just a mile from Coleford town centre. Whether you are looking for great a day out, a learning experience or Professional 4x4 training, we have the course to suit your needs. Our qualified instructors will guide you through the day with a relaxed, but professional attitude giving you confidence to tackle terrain you never thought possible.
Kilpeck
Home to the finest collection of Romanesque sculpture in England. It was built in about 1140 and has survived remarkably intact and unaltered to the present day.
Hartpury
Parish church with Norman origins.
Lydney
15 hole Krazy Golf with a theme based on local attractions, games barn, Footpool, outdoor garden games. On site cafe or bring your own picnic.
An arboretum full of unusual and interesting trees in the heart of the Forest of Dean next to the Speech House Hotel.
Blakeney
A popular picnic site with picnic tables, an easy access path and a paddling area
A heathland restoration project, Tidenham Chase offers great walks and stunning views and is close to the Offa's Dyke Path and the Devil's Pulpit viewpoint.
Clearwell
Fine Victorian church in the gothic style.
Highnam
Highnam Church was described by John Betjeman as "The most complete Victorian Church in this country". In Simon Jenkin's book England's Thousand Best Churches, Holy Innocents was rated as #4.
Mitcheldean
The medieval church of St. Michael and All Angels lies at the heart of Mitcheldean on the northern fringes of the Forest of Dean.
Coleford
We are a brand new cycle hire company located in the hidden gem that is the Forest of Dean. We will provide a range of leading bike brands, including 2021 E-bikes from Cube and the latest children's bikes from Frog. As well as a wide range of bikes for all ages and abilities, we will offer tag-alongs, trailers for younger children and even specific trailers for the family dog!
Penallt
13th century church standing 600 feet above the River Wye with superb views of the valley. Definitely a place to visit although it is now a long way from the centre of the modern village.
Woolaston
Parish church built in the 12 century on an earlier holy site and restored in 1859.
Longhope
The award-winning Forest Bakehouse is a cooperative bakery based in the village of Longhope, in the beautiful Forest of Dean. Our main focus is creating highly nutritious bread and pastries using locally milled organic flour, free from any unnecessary ingredients or additives.
Monmouth
Extensively rebuilt in 1737, with only the original tower and redesigned spire retained, it was considered to be too small by nineteenth century standards and underwent major renovations in 1881.
Eastbach (Near English Bicknor),
A cosy country pottery offering a wide range of pottery activities, workshops, classes and experiences for all ages, levels of ability & budgets in the Forest of Dean. Here is a taster of what we offer.
Ruardean
12th century parish church with commanding views over the Wye Valley.
Newnham
We are friendly and welcoming community hub in the Direst of Dean in the attractive Severnside village of Newnham on Severn. After a fundraising campaign which started in 2018, our historic building was secured by the community in 2021 and has undergone an extensive and sympathetic renovation to provide a mixed-use hub for local people (and visitors) to enjoy.
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*Visit Dean Wye is the trading name of Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Tourism Limited.