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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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Cinderford
A haven for wildlife and the surrounding paths are suitable for the less able and wheelchair users
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.
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.
Newnham
13th century. The churchyard contains a 1000 year old yew tree and under the tree, beside the church, there are graves of fishermen who drowned in the River Severn in the days of river trows.
Picturesque ponds, home to lots of wildlife. Great picnic area and central for walks and cycle paths.
Ross-on-Wye
The church of St Mary the Virgin stands on one of the highest points in the town and the spire can be seen for many miles around; it is one of the largest churches in Herefordshire.
Hartpury
Parish church with Norman origins.
Lydney
Formerly the site of the New Fancy coal mine, the old spoil heap now provides spectacular views across the Forest. Great for birdwatching and for woodland walks. Easy access to Mallards Pike and Speech House Woods.
Longhope
Rain or Shine, the Dick Whittington Park at Longhope offers a range of family attractions for both adults and children to enjoy.
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.
An arboretum full of unusual and interesting trees in the heart of the Forest of Dean next to the Speech House Hotel.
Kempley
A Norman church with some very fine 12th century murals.
Nr Coleford
Our half-day introductory course covers basic off-road driving techniques and is intended for occasional off-road driving from mild to moderate conditions. It is the perfect introduction to 4×4 driving.
Price: £169 per person.
Length of experience: Approx 3 hours.
Monmouth
Canoe and kayak hire on the River Wye. Families and large groups welcomed including the dog. Qualified instruction available.
The St Briavels parish curch of St Mary is situated directly in front of the the Norman castle.
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.
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